#so i just turned around and just gestured to hand me her phone like some stupid suave self-confident bozo that i am NOT

[natalianovnas]

༄ `. 𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇

or - '𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐮𝐩 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭' : 𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬.

comes straight from mmoc au so if you haven't read that one first, you should.

requests : had to mix up three requests together for this one (as insane as this sounds lol) you can find them here : req 1 - req 2 - req 3

warnings: reader being a tease, explicit song lyrics, smut to fluff, top!nat, beefy!nat, sub!reader.

words count : 2.6k

an : i have no knowledge over the games mentioned (as unfortunate as it sounds) so i might have aked for help from my sister || masterlist

It's some time around 5pm.

The kitchen smells like peanut butter and a hint of clean laundry.

Natasha’s wearing gray sweatpants low on her hips, a black tank top, and zero awareness of the chaos brewing behind her.

She’s humming softly, making herself a PB&J before heading out to the gym. Nothing fancy. Just something light to fuel her.

You, however, have a different kind of hunger.

Casually, you stroll into the kitchen like you’re not about to destroy the woman’s sanity, Billie Eilish’s “LUNCH” cued up on your phone as you walk in.

Nat barely glances at you as you lean against the counter next to her. She’s mid-sandwich, mid-bite.

Then, the lyrics actually reaches her ears—

🎶 I'll run a shower for you like you want

Clothes on the counter for you try 'em on

If I'm allowed I'll help you take 'em off 🎶

You're aware that she is watching you and that's al you wanted. However, your focus remains on the video you're recording, showing Natasha slightly and 'subtly' gesturing to her while pretending you don't notice her watching.

Natasha freezes.

One bite in. Mouth full. Chewing slowly like she’s buffering.

Her eyes slide toward you with that patented “Romanoff side-eye of judgment and barely concealed lust.”

“…The hell are those lyrics?” she murmurs.

She narrows her eyes. You smile wider and keep going.

🎶 I could eat that girl for lunch

Yeah, she dances on my tongue

Tastes like she might be the one 🎶

Natasha chokes, actually chokes. She coughs once, turns and grabs the edge of the counter.

“You want me to die or something?”

You’re biting back laughter. “Just feeding you the same energy you give me every time you come out the shower in a towel and pretend you’re not trying to kill me.”

She slowly sets the sandwich down.

“Alright, gremlin. You’ve got exactly ten seconds to run before I show you exactly what’s for lunch.”

“Oh? Is it me?”

She cracks her neck like it’s go-time.

You sprint down the hallway, laughing. “I regret nothing!”

“Too bad,” She calls out in an amused. “You will in ten minutes.”

The sound of your laughter trails down the hall as you run from her, Billie Eilish still echoing faintly from your phone.

Natasha stands there for a beat, amused and exasperated. She rolls her eyes, wipes her hands on a paper towel, and lets out a short laugh.

“Drama queen,” She mutters fondly under her breath, shaking her head.

She should go chase you or pin you to the bed or make you finish the song in a much less innocent setting but she’s got to hit the gym.

Discipline, Romanoff. Control.

She grabs her gym bag and slings it over her shoulder just as you peek your head around the corner.

“Wait. You’re actually going?” You ask, surprised.

Nat smirks. “That a problem?”

You shrug. “Just rare. You usually work out at home and pretend it counts.”

“That’s because it does count,” She says, stepping into her sneakers.

You hesitate, then beam. “Can I come ?”

Natasha pauses. Looks over her shoulder.

“You want to go to the gym?” she asks, genuinely surprised.

You shrug, stepping into the kitchen in a loose tee and shorts again. “Maybe I wanna see you all sweaty and jacked. Motivation.”

Her eyes narrow slightly, amused. “You’re not going to distract me?”

You grin. “No promises.”

.    .    .  

Around forty minutes later, you both walk into the gym.

You’re in a cute lil gym fit— tight biker shorts, low-cut sports bra, hair in a high pony. You look like sin and you know it.

Natasha, meanwhile, is doing reps with a resistance band while trying to focus. Truly. But then you walk past the mirror for the third time, swaying just a bit more than necessary.

“Can’t help it if I’m naturally bouncy,” You whisper innocently as you pass her again.

She glares—whipped and mad about it.

You start doing slow squats directly across from her. Like, directly.

Your back arched. Your form perfect. That smug little smile on your lips.

She drops the band and walks over, towel around her neck. “How’s it going?”

You shrug casually. “Pretty good. Got my form right. You keep watching me or something?”

She raises a brow. “I should be watching my form. But you’re not really making that easy.”

You smirk and pat her chest, trailing your hand just slightly longer than needed.

“Maybe I should be your trainer. Keep you focused.”

She leans in. “You keep touching me like that, and I’m gonna start lifting you instead.”

You blink. “Promise?”

She laughs. Loud and warm and fond.

“Trouble,” she mutters, walking away—but not before giving your ass a swat as she passes. “Wrap it up. We’re doing core next. And no more slow-motion squats, you menace.”

“You love it here.”

“I love you. Working out next to you is just a sexy bonus.”

“You're doing this on purpose,” She mutters.

“What? I’m just trying to be fit like you,” You say sweetly, adjusting your waistband in a way that should be illegal.

“Mm. Fit for hell,” Natasha grumbles, running a hand down her face.

You grab a yoga mat and drop to your hands and knees to start stretching, rocking your hips—fully knowing she’s watching.

“Jesus,” She mumbles under her breath. “Alright.”

You look back innocently. “Something wrong?”

“Yeah,” she says, walking over. “I’m not working out another second until I get this out of my system.”

She grabs your waist and pulls you upright, making you squeak with laughter. “Nat—”

“You wanted my attention?”

“Maaaybe.”

“You got it. And now we’re going home.”

“But we just got here,” You tease as she starts walking you toward the exit.

She glances over her shoulder at the poor guy in the corner who’s been pretending not to stare. “If one more person looks at you like that, I’m getting arrested.”

You blink up at her with that infuriatingly innocent face. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly,” she mutters, grabbing your hand and practically dragging you out. “You just exist. And it’s criminal.”

In the Car

You throw your gym bag into the back seat, barely getting the door shut before Natasha leans over and buckles your seatbelt for you. Her face inches from yours.

“You think this is funny?” She murmurs.

You shrug, grinning. “I think you being jealous is funny.”

She pauses. “I’m not jealous.”

“Oh?”

“I’m possessive. Big difference.”

“You know,” she says, “next time you want to kill me, just wear those leggings around the apartment.”

You squeeze her fingers. “So… you did like the TikTok?”

She huffs out a laugh. “I’m going to block Billie Eilish on everything.”

“Too late,” you grin, “I made a whole playlist.”

She sighs. “God help me.”

You’re about to sass her again, but she starts the engine with one hand and rests the other high on your thigh. Fingers drumming.

The drive is quiet. No music. No talking. Just tension. And her hand creeping slowly toward the hem of your shorts like she’s thinking about pulling over and making a memory in the backseat.

You squirm and she smirks.

Back at the apartment

The door slams shut behind you, your gym bag hits the floor.

You turn around to make a flirty remark—maybe another Billie lyric—but Natasha’s already there, crowding you against the wall.

Her hands plant on either side of your head.

"You wanted my attention at the gym?" She asks lowly, eyes locked on yours.

You smile. “Kinda.”

She hums. “Got it.”

Then, she kisses you—deep, slow, and dangerously patient. Like she’s not angry. Just starving.

You whimper into it, hands curling in her hoodie, already dizzy.

She pulls back only to whisper against your lips, “You think you’re cute when you’re teasing me?”

“A little.”

Her hand trails down your waist to your backside, gripping firmly. “You were showing off on purpose.”

You nod, breath catching. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“Oh, baby…” she says with a laugh, lifting you off the floor effortlessly and carrying you straight to the bedroom. “You have no idea what you started.”

Natasha drops you on the bed—not carelessly, not roughly—just with the weight of someone who knows you wanted this.

You bounce once, grinning up at her, hair splayed across the sheets. Your sports bra is damp with heat. Your thighs glisten with a soft sheen of post-workout sweat.

She looks down at you like she’s trying to memorize you. Like she’s trying to decide where to start.

“You’ve got about three seconds to admit you were doing it on purpose,” she murmurs, pulling her ponytail loose.

You smirk. “What if I wasn’t?”

Her eyes darken. “Lie again.”

You laugh—giddy, breathless—as she crawls over you, knee slotting between your legs, hand sliding under your bra to press over your heartbeat.

“Fast,” she notes, leaning in to kiss the edge of your jaw. “Always gets like this when I’m mad at you.”

“You’re not mad.”

She kisses your neck. “No. I’m obsessed. There’s a difference.”

You moan softly when her mouth finds that sensitive spot beneath your ear—tongue warm, teeth teasing. Her fingers slip under your waistband, tugging the shorts just low enough to make you gasp.

"You were walking around that gym like you didn't belong to anyone," she whispers.

You grin, eyes fluttering. “Maybe I forgot.”

That earns you a firm grip on your waist and a slow, grinding roll of her hips down into yours. You groan.

Natasha smiles. “Don’t worry. I’m about to remind you.”

She pulls your sports bra off—slowly, deliberately, watching your eyes the whole time. Like she wants to see every flicker of surrender.

“You look so fucking proud of yourself,” she says, thumbing over your nipple with maddening calm. “All that stretching. That little smirk every time you caught me looking.”

“I didn’t catch you. You were obvious.”

She laughs into your skin. “You’re lucky I didn’t bend you over that bench press.”

“Maybe I wanted you to.”

She stills.

Then sits up between your legs, peeling your shorts off with a kind of reverent cruelty.

You arch toward her, need pooling low in your belly. “Nat…”

“You think this is me losing control?” she says, voice low as she runs her palms over your thighs.

You answer, eyes hazy. “Isn’t it?”

She leans down again, lips brushing your stomach as she descends lower.

“No,” she whispers. “This is me being very in control. And you? You’re gonna feel every second of it.”

Hours later :

You’re boneless on the bed. Natasha is draped over you, skin warm, heartbeat steady against your back. She’s tracing circles on your hip absentmindedly.

“You’re evil,” you mumble.

She hums. “And you love it.”

You smile into the pillow. “I’m never going to the gym again.”

Natasha presses a kiss to your shoulder. “That’s okay. I think I got my full-body workout right here.”

Minutes later

You’re sprawled across Natasha’s chest, sweaty, glowing, borderline delirious—but instead of falling asleep, you're… scrolling through your game folder.

Nat runs her fingers lazily through your hair, barely glancing at the screen.

“You better not be working,” she mumbles.

“I’m not.”

“You better not be shopping either. You just bought another frog mug last week.”

You lift your head, grinning. “I’m opening Minecraft.”

Natasha blinks. “Excuse me?”

“I want to play. Come on. Be my emotional support chaos knight.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t I just ruin you?”

“Yes,” you say sweetly. “And now I want to build a cottage and adopt a Minecraft cat. It's called balance, Natasha.”

“Baby, we’re naked.”

“That’s the best part,” You state with a grin, already reaching for your Switch like this was a trap laid in advance, like nat didn't have full view over your naked back size. “The vibes are immaculate.”

Natasha watches as you boot up the game. She sighs.

She groans but doesn’t actually resist when you hand her a controller. Ten minutes later, she’s beside you, wrapped in a throw blanket, staring at the screen like it just insulted her.

“So what am I doing?” She asks, looking around her tiny blocky world.

“Whatever you want. I’m over here farming potatoes and building a mushroom house. You could help or mine. Or even fight zombies.”

She hums. “What happens if I hit this cow?”

“…Uh. You’ll get leather.”

She punches the cow. Then a sheep. Then another cow.

“Okay. You need to calm down—”

“Can I blow something up?”

You blink. “What?”

She grins. “I found TNT in a chest. I want to see what it does.”

You sigh dramatically, planting flowers near your base. “You’re such a menace.”

“You’re the one who handed me a pickaxe.”

.    .   . 

Fifteen minutes later

You’re curled into Natasha’s side, both of you still half under the covers, screens glowing softly in the dark.

You’re naming your third cat (“I’m calling her Mochi. She’s shy but kind.”)

Natasha’s in a cave halfway across the map, sword out, muttering, “Get wrecked, creeper,” as she wipes out an entire underground horde.

“Why are you like this?” You giggle.

“Because you gave me no outlet for my post-sex rage.”

“You’re holding me right now.”

“Exactly. I can’t take it out on you again—yet. So the skeletons die.”

You plant another flower bed next to your pixelated front door and say sweetly, “You’re welcome to move in next to my lavender garden. We could be neighbors.”

“I’m going to build a bunker with lava traps.”

You press a kiss to her shoulder. “That’s romantic in your own feral little way.”

.    .    .

Your farm is thriving. Your home has windows. You’ve got a cat named Olive.

Natasha? Has gone full bloodlust.

“Where are you?” you call from your greenhouse.

“In a cave.”

“Do you need help?”

“No. I’m killing spiders. There’s so many. I’m thriving.”

You blink at her health bar. Full. Her inventory? Filled with string, bones, and gunpowder.

“What even is your goal?” you ask, laughing.

“To keep the mobs away from your Barbie dream house.”

“Aw.”

She shrugs. “Also I’m naming this wolf after you.”

.    .   .

Later still…

You’re in bed, curled up beside her again. The screen glows faintly from your paused Stardew Valley game.

Nat’s voice is low, teasing. “Why do I have to be the one who fights everything?”

“Because you’re scary.”

She smirks. “And you’re not?”

You roll over and give her your most angelic smile. “I have a chicken coop and a Junimo shrine.”

You’ve tamed six animals now, grown your first melon crop, and made a rainbow glass window in your hilltop cottage.

Natasha? Has full enchanted armor and is level 23 from wiping out an abandoned mine shaft.

And yet—when you ask, “Wait, wanna try Stardew next?”, she pauses.

Natasha groans. “Oh my god.”

“...and have pixel babies.”

She rolls her eyes. “You are unbelievable.”

You blink innocently. “Or... we could try Roblox.”

Natasha freezes. “What the hell is Roblox?”

You grin like a devil. “A magical land where you and I can go on weird obstacle courses and dress up in cursed outfits.”

She narrows her eyes. “Is this revenge for earlier?”

You nod enthusiastically. “Yes.”

She looks at you over the blanket. “…Are there weapons?”

You nod eagerly. “There’s a murder mystery game.”

“…Fine. But if someone calls me ‘mommy’ in the chat, I’m deleting the app.”

.    .    .

Ten minutes into Roblox:

“Why is my character bald—WHY is your character twerking on me—stop laughing, I’m being serious—”

And just like that, Natasha’s whole reputation crumbles in one game lobby while you’re crying from laughter.

Whipped destroyed & undeniably hers.

[moonglowmagic]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

“Good you better not.” She teased with a laugh. Noting his words and she nodded her head as she dropped her hand from her waste. “Maybe you are. Hey who are we to tell the universe to stop us from bumping into each other. It clearly wants us too for a reason.” She shrugged not thinking about it further and moving on with the conversation as it turned to Leyla. She wasn’t sure how serious it was with Leyla, just Leyla always seemed to be getting worse than better, which meant she was getting worse. “I wish I just knew what was wrong, but nobody knows.” She sighed heavily. “It’s fine. We can go get more.” Assuming that he was along for the ride with her when it came to this adventure. “I still have some favors with Bradley at the balloon shop.” 

Giving a laugh at his words. “I can understand that. I hate taking breaks especially when I’m in the thick of it. It just takes so long to go over everything and to get back where you were.” “You mean the facts that humans could do magic?” Not skirting around the topic, she’d watched as the humans had used their powers during the dance which had been chaos. “Yeah we are.” Letting the subject drop for a moment, before she looked over at him. “I just don’t like to think about the fact that Hande might be haunting me, but I can’t see it.” Admitting softly, she put a hand to the back of her neck. “I mean she probably has to be right? Given the whole sister killing her thing.” Looking down at her expensive shoes as they walked, she avoided any eye contact until he suggested that maybe she should give him something to listen too. “Oh what do you want me to make you a CD like we’re in high school?” She asked with a laugh. Pulling out her phone before she gestured for his. “I’ll share my tennis playlist with you. It’s got a variety of music, and you know things you’ll probably like.” Rambling on as she sent her playlist to him so he could listen to it later. “Let me guess the lab plays a lot of classical music? I feel like that’s what you scientist types would listen too.” 

“Good. You can be useful then.” Patting him on the shoulder as she continued to walk back to the balloon shop. “Plus I highly doubt I’ll be sick of you anytime soon. If anything you’ll get sick of me.” Grabbing to the door to the balloon shop and she pulled it open for them. Walking in as she greeted Bradley who sighed when he saw her. “We need more balloons.” She informed him with a sweet smile. “How many more do you think we need? I feel like twenty was too many.” She asked as she turned to Dhruv. 

"I could never say that, love, cross my heart. The luck thing was just once, true, but we nearly fell over each time, yeah? That ain't too grand, but hey, who am I to question it. Maybe I was supposed to fall." This was, much like their last, was shaping up to be an amusing yet interesting interaction. "Oh, that's unfortunate. Hope it's nothing too serious. Is she feeling better? Sorry I couldn't get more of the balloons down for you, maybe we should buy some more? These are definitely too few."

He couldn't help a low chuckle, "Kinda,' he replied, which answered both parts. "They think I should be taking more breaks and I think doing so breaks my focus. As for the good…I don't know? I hope so. I've — uh, been trying to figure out the whole magic thing? It's been up and down…" he trailed off with a sigh, but didn't dwell too long on his failures as he began to follow Dilan without much thought. "Oh? That's…but we're in a supernatural town where paranormal stuff happens far too often." A beat later he continued, "But I do understand why it's not everyone's thing, I've been told I have strange curiosities." Giving her a sheepish smile, he shrugged, "Sorry! Maybe you should give me something to listen to instead. I don't listen to much music. Just whatever's on the radio at the lab but I tend to tune it out when I'm working."

Checking his watch told him only ten minutes had passed, which was long enough for him but likely wouldn't be to everyone else. "I have time. Or well, till however long it takes for you to get sick of me."

[femonologue]

Many years ago, I was wandering around downtown Ottawa with my best friend. We ran into a friend of his who offered us some hash (it sucked), then said there was a really good house party nearby if we wanted to go. We were like, yeah, sure. So that's how we ended up at some completely fucking random person's house.

I look around to ask if my friend knows anyone here and he's simply gone, as is his friend. And this isn't some red solo cup hangout; this is a party. There's people counting out pills on the kitchen counter. I am clearly neither as cool nor as drug-savvy as the kitchen people, so I back away and instead wander aimlessly into the living room, which seems to give off more of a chill vibe.

A bunch of people are seated in a circle on the floor. One of them is fiddling with a big wad of newspaper or something. A really cute grunge girl with piercings and tattoos scoots aside to make room for me, so I sit down.

"What's that," I ask her, gesturing at the newspaper wad.

She gets a really big smile on her face. You know the smile. It's the I'm About To Watch This Innocent Soul Get High As Fuck smile. "You've never smoked a tulip?"

"What's a tulip?" I ask.

"It's like if a joint was also a bong," she replies. "You gotta try it."

"Alright," I reply, a little uncertainly. This will not be my first encounter with weed. I am more comfortable with the janky newspaper bong than I am with whatever the fuck is going on in the kitchen. Besides, this girl is really cute and I would like to have a friend here now that my existing friend has turned into vapor or been transported to the Upside-Down or whatever the hell happened to him.

I watch as one person holds the newspaper joint-bong upright and holds a lighter over the top while another gets beneath it, tilting their head back to take a puff. Apparently smoking this Cheech & Chong monstrosity is a two-person job.

"Oh," I say, looking at the fist-sized knob at the top of the wonky newspaper joint. "Yeah, it does kinda look like a tulip." Grunge girl smiles at me.

I watch as the tulip is passed around the circle, along with the lighter, and hits are cooperatively taken. It reaches grunge girl, who takes a huge puff and holds it for an extended moment before exhaling an impressive blast of smoke. She smiles expectantly and holds the tulip up for me, preparing to spark the gigantic meteor of dank that makes up its tip. By this point I have completely forgotten about my missing friend. I only care about making a good impression on grunge girl. I tilt my head back and hit the tulip like a smokestack.

It is the following morning. I am sleeping between a couch and a wall. I'm not positive that this is the same house I was just in. My memories are gone. Someone is yelling at me: "dude! Dude! Wake up, dude!"

I sit up. My mouth tastes like cigarettes. I do not smoke cigarettes. "Wha," I ask the yelling man, who I am quite confident I have never met before in my life.

"We're going on a quest," he tells me, gravely. "You have to come with us."

I look around. Neither my friend nor his friend are anywhere in sight. I also do not see grunge girl anywhere. I shrug helplessly. "Okay."

We embark from this house. I learn that the destination of this quest is Tim Horton's. This is a relief to me, as coffee and a donut sounds really fucking good right now. Somehow, the route to Tim Horton's takes us past the Governor-General's residence, which everyone else in the group loudly heckles on the way past. I do not know what the Governor-General has done to raise their ire, nor do I particularly care. I trudge along with my hands in my pockets, pleased to note that I still have my wallet, phone, and keys. I fervently wish that I could remember anything about last night. Maybe I talked to grunge girl. Maybe she's why my mouth tastes like cigarettes. The tulip tasted nothing like cigarettes.

I am asked about my politics. I voice my frustrations with corporate corruption, the pay-to-win electoral system, the lack of transparency and accountability. This is met with great approval. The guy who was yelling at me claps me on the back. I get the impression that we became friends last night. I don't recognize his face. I do not know his name and he definitely does not know mine. I behave as though we're friends anyway. We are comrades on a quest.

By the time we make it to Tim Hortons, the gaggle of stoners I'm walking with have all run out of energy and/or attention span. People order snacks and break away in pairs or solo, to call for rides or plan the day's events or just vegetate and wait for the drugs to leave their systems. I look around and find that my nameless friend has also gone to the Upside-Down. As I wash the cigarette taste out of my mouth with coffee, I unsuccessfully try to remember whether I saw grunge girl smoking tobacco at any point. I remember nothing. That tulip was so fucking powerful that it instantly sent me a whole day forward in time.

Alone in the city, I try to call my best friend and get no answer. I walk to the nearest bus stop, catch a bus most of the way home, and call up my parents to ask for a ride back. They ask where my friend is. I tell them that I have no idea; we went to a house party and I don't remember anything else.

When they pick me up from the bus station, they ask me some very safe, nonspecific questions, and seem to relax when I describe what little I can remember. It isn't until years later that I realize they were probably terrified I'd gotten rufied or something, and were so relieved to learn otherwise that they didn't even bother chiding me for smoking myself unconscious in an effort to impress a strange woman. In any case, they were probably happy to find out that I did, in fact, like girls; I suspect they had been privately wondering whether I was gay.

After getting home, I finally manage to get my best friend to answer his phone. I discover that he tried the kitchen pills, spent most of the night crossing the entire city on foot, and crashed at his cousin's house. He sounds like shit. I tell him that he should have tried the tulip, instead. He fervently agrees with me.

I never see grunge girl again.

That's okay, though. She got to see a clueless stranger get fucked the entire way up on some ungodly strain of giga-weed, and I got smiled at by a cute girl, and then I got to go on a quest. Wherever grunge girl is, I hope she's happy. I hope she's smoking the fattest fucking blunt and smiling as some kid passes out behind a couch.

[jinwoosbabyboo]

The First Meet Self-Aware!Caleb

Caleb always talked about how he would he would show you around SkyHaven when you got there. It was never an 'if' with him it was always a 'when'. Perhaps that should've been your first red flag, but when you have feelings for someone those red flags look a little pink A/N: I was chillin' in the N109Zone while I wrote this. Sylus rubbed my feet and brought me food.

↢ previous ... continue ↣

“Just give me some time….”

What did he mean by that? The memory of the way his voice shook and how it seemed like he was talking more to himself rather than you — haunted you endlessly. You spent your days on edge, looking over your shoulder, tossing and turning in your sleep and waking up out of breath. You were never able to use your phone again after that it just wouldn’t turn back on. You spun the new device in your hand flipping it over to see the new phone case you purchased for it.

Apples.

“Well thanks for the new phone Caleb” You mumbled to yourself, setting it aside on your desk before sitting down to get to work. Part of you missed playing Love and Deepspace, but you couldn’t bring yourself to download the app again after what happened with Caleb. For months you had managed to fall for that pixelated man only for it to end the way that it did. You still had no clue what he meant by ‘Give me some time’ but it gave you chills nonetheless.

“Hey!” You jumped at the sound of Camerons voice aka your work bestie. “What?” The word rushed out of you. She stared down at you with a concerned look “I’ve been trying to get your attention I called your name at least ten times” You blinked rapidly as you looked around trying to gather your scattered thoughts. You hadn't realized you were spacing out “I’m sorry I was just trying to get this finished by end of day” You smoothed out your shirt and turned to face your friend “What's up?” Just when you thought it would be bad news you watched as a saccharine grin spread across her face. “Somebody had these delivered” She pulled a bouquet of your favorite flowers from behind her back and gently placed them in your lap. “Just for you”

Your whole face lit up as you looked down at the gorgeous flowers. No one has ever gifted you flowers before. The gesture almost made you combust just from staring at them. Carefully picking them up, you took a long sniff relishing in the floral notes that filled your senses. After getting a good sniff you quickly searched the flowers for a card to see who your secret admirer could be.

‘𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑷𝒊𝒑-𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒂𝒌 ♡ ͏𝑰 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 -𝑪 ’

Your heart dropped to your ass in an instant; it can’t be Caleb he’s not real. You sprang to your feet letting the flowers fall to the floor — petals broke away from the stems as you kicked it away. The room grew blurry as your lungs constricted and your heart pounded like a drum in your ears. The last thing you saw was your friend reaching for you before you were suddenly counting the ceiling lights. Cameron shook you by your shoulders trying to get you to breathe properly. “What was in those flowers!? What did you do? Should I call 911?” She wasn’t speaking to you she was looking over her shoulder — who's she talking to? Please don’t let it be your boss that lady is strict enough as it is. She’ll have you head on a stick if she finds out you passed out on the clock.

“No I'll take it from here” A tall looming shadow stood over you; his face came into view as he leaned down and cupped your cheek in his hand. “Let’s go home pipsqueak you don’t look so well” Caleb? But how? You wanted to flinch away from his touch or get up and scramble away from him but your body was so heavy. “Ca…Caleb” It was so hard to speak your words coming out slurred as you continued to become even dizzier. “How?…..” His smile was blurry but his voice was clear "I take it you missed me considering this phone case"

The world seemed to be going by in flashes. First you were on the floor and next you were in someones arms and now you’re watching flashes of light pass by as you struggled to keep your eyes open. “Get some rest” A gentle hand rubbed small circles on your back willing you to sleep. The heavy weight of sleep outweighed your will to stay awake.

You were groggy as you rolled over and instinctively snuggled into your pillow. You wanted to go back to sleep, but the smell of breakfast had your stomach growling. Breakfast? You sat up in a panic looking around the foreign room. This was not your room and this was not your city. Fumbling out of bed you somehow managed to wrap your feet up in the sheets falling to the floor with a hard thud “Fuck that hurt” just then you heard heavy footsteps heading your way. Terror set in as you tried to untangle yourself from the blankets as the footsteps grew closer. “Come on come on come on” you begged the sheets that seemed to continuously grip onto your legs. “You can’t be serious” You whisper-yelled to yourself.

The room door opens softly and there stands Caleb with a look of worry. “What happened?” He rushes to your side and tries to help untangle you. “Caleb!?” Your eyes are practically bulging out of your head staring at the man in front of you. You wriggle and flail only making things worse “Hold still!” Caleb pins you in place with his evol as he unwraps your lower half from the sheets and blanket. “There. All done” He meets your stare and gives you those same puppy dog eyes that you remember all too well.

“W-where am I?” It took everything in you to keep from cowering into the corner. You knew there was no point in trying to run since he could quite literally pin you in place. He beamed as he gestured towards the floor to ceiling window “Welcome to SkyHaven I hope you enjoy your stay” He said with a wink. Your lips curled into an angry frown while your eyes ping ponged between the view and him. “What? Are you not happy to see me?”

“I don’t understand how I'm seeing you” You rolled your shoulder to try and quell the pain radiating from it. There will definitely be some bruising or at least some soreness later. “That’s classified information Pip-squeak” Before you could ask anymore questions Caleb pulled you to your feet like you weigh nothing. You looked up at him almost entranced by how handsome he is. You shook your head and snatched your hands from his. “Don’t give me that bullshit excuse! Take me home!”

He tilted his head and reached a hand out to caress your cheek “You are home” Although he had the warmest smile and lovestruck eyes; you couldn't help, but feel like a bucket of ice water was thrown on you. You stared dumbfounded; words escaping you.

Say something. Say something!

“I have to leave soon but I wanted to share a meal with you before then” That's when you noticed he was dressed in his colonel uniform — damn he looked so good too, but you refused to tell him that.

Suddenly he grabbed your wrist and pulled you out the door. You tripped over your own feet trying to keep up with his long strides. “I can walk on my own Caleb let go” You yanked at his grip and surprisingly he let go — only for him to swiftly sweep you off your feet and carry you bridal style into the dining room. He gently placed you in a chair and sauntered off to the kitchen returning with your favorite juice, a glass of water, and scallion pancakes. You stared at your plate not sure if you’re happy or pissed.

“I didn’t poison it so stop poutin’ and eat before it gets cold” You glanced at Caleb who occupied the seat next to you. He sat in a relaxed position with his head resting in his palm; studying you intently. You were still hesitant to eat anything this man put in front of you considering he kidnapped you to another world and won’t tell you how to get home. Caleb reaches a hand across you grabbing your knife and fork and slices a piece of your scallion pancake — popping it into his mouth with a subtle groan. He cuts another piece and turns the fork to you “See it’s safe”

You hesitantly part your lips as Caleb pushes the food into your mouth. The flavors bursting on your tongue had you audibly moaning as well. Caleb was a fantastic cook — you snatched the fork from his hand and dug right in taking a few sips of your drink to wash it down. The weight of his stare has you slowing down and immediately wiping your mouth “What are you staring at?” Calebs eyes soften as he slowly scans your face “You’re even more beautiful in person”

Even though you weren’t happy with him those words still gave you butterflies — you’ve been trying so hard to suppress them. You dropped your gaze and moved the last bits of your food around your plate “Don’t flirt with me you’re gonna make me nervous” He let out a soft chuckle and flicked your nose before leaning back in his chair — flashing that gorgeous smile of his. Caleb really was breathtaking; those violet eyes almost had you in a trance. You couldn’t help, but take in all his features — your eyes going from his eyes to his lips, taking notes of how full and soft they looked.

Continuing your perusal, you let your eyes move down, taking in his long muscular, but lean frame. His legs seemed to go for miles and you watched him spread them just a little wider when your eyes reached his lap. “You like what you see pip-squeak?” You finally snapped out of your self-inflicted trance and shook your head “You’re easy on the eyes even though you make my nervous system stand on end” You pushed your empty plate away, crossing your arms over your chest as you sat back in your chair.

Caleb didn’t respond immediately — opting to just give your cheek a caress as he grabbed your plate. His silence was unnerving to say the least. Is he upset? Are you the reason he’s upset? Staying quiet seemed to be the best option. “So I’ll be leavin’ for three days I want you to stay here and when I get back I promise to give you the grand tour of SkyHaven” His voice was accompanied by the sound of dishes clattering and running water.

“Three days?!” You choked on your drink causing you to cough loudly. Caleb stopped what he was doing and rushed to your side — rubbing your back as you caught your breath. “I’m not staying here for three days! I have a life back home!” You pushed his shoulder so you could stand and get some space. You knew by the way his brows furrowed and the chilling demeanor that washed over him in an instance that you’d made him mad. “And how exactly do you plan on getting ‘home’ pip-squeak?” He took a step toward you making you step back. You didn’t get far as he grabbed your wrist and pulled you flush against him. His eyes were becoming wild — this was the same look in his eyes before he ruined your phone for good. His heart was also beating rapidly in rhythm with yours.

You: Tell me how! Caleb: Didn’t you say you hated your job? You: Yes but- Caleb: Weren’t you the one who said you wanted someone to take care of you for once? You: Caleb I didn’t mean- Caleb: So why not stay here and be happy …. with me?

Your heart was beating out of your chest as you stood there letting part of yourself give in to him while the other half was ready to run out the door. Where would you go though? Who would help you? There’s no way Caleb is actually cruel enough to keep you here knowing damn well you don’t belong in this game. “I-I can’t” You croaked out not knowing if you wanted to kiss him or kick him. You watched Calebs’ expression fall, but he quickly covered it with a small grin. He stepped away from you and you almost chased after him due to the loss of warmth. He gripped you by your chin and you stood there frozen not sure what his next move would be. He narrowed his eyes as he searched your face for what? You didn’t know. To your surprise he placed the softest kiss on your lips. The gasp that followed was swallowed up by him as he deepened the kiss. Your mind screamed at you to give him a swift kick to the crotch, but your heart was melting in the palm of his hand.

You kissed him back with the same fervor.

You instinctively wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him impossibly close. Caleb kissed you like he would never have this chance again while simultaneously savoring your lips like he had all the time in the world. He tapped the side of your thigh and you swiftly lifted it without question. Caleb picked you up, holding you close as he moved across the room and laid you down on the couch. He pulled away breathless and dropped his forehead on your chest “If we keep going I’ll be late for work”

“I should probably get home anyway Caleb we can talk about this another day, but let me go home first” You ran your hands through his hair — it was soft. He lifted his head and for the first time, since bringing up home, his eyes showed no sign of anger. “You’re right” He stood to his full height and helped you to your feet. “Lets get you some pain medication for your shoulder” He brushed his fingertips over the darkening area “Then I'll tell you how to get home” his words were almost a whisper.

“Thank you” You could feel the tension melting off of you in waves.

“Follow me” He helped you to your feet and headed down the hallway towards what you assume is his room. You followed closely behind him; stumbling a few times to keep up. Once you were in his room your stumbling became much harder to control. Your breathing was becoming heavy and your head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. You braced yourself against the wall willing the dizziness to stop.

“What’s wrong? Come lay down” Caleb said feigning concern. Your body was too heavy to even try to fight him so you allowed him to guide you into his bed and you felt a soft kiss on your forehead right before drifting off to sleep. “I’ll be back soon”

The room was dark only lit by the moon through the window when you woke up. You sat up glancing around the room trying to figure out where you were. It took a minute for your eyes to adjust, but once they did you saw the outline of a small lamp on the nightstand next to the bed.

No he didn’t.

You bolted out of bed at the sudden realization that you were still in Calebs home. “Caleb!” You yelled as you ran down the hall out into the living room. The place was dark and quiet not a single sign of another person. You ran to the front door, frantically trying to open it, but somehow Caleb managed to bolt this door shut making it impossible for you to leave. “He locked me in?” Think.

The windows!

You opened one of the few windows that wasn't floor to ceiling and found that it luckily wasn't sealed shut. Freedom was in reach. You went to put one leg out the window when you were met with an electrifying pain. “Ow! Damn it!” There was some kind of electromagnetic wall just outside the window. Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. Your breathing was ragged and tears streamed down your face uncontrollably. “Fuck you Caleb you were never going to let me leave”

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@luvdegreen

[rafayelxsylusho]

How do the lads men act when jealous Part 2

Part 1 here (Zayne/Xavier)

Finally finished this.

Enjoy pookies!

Sylus/ Rafayel/Caleb

Headers: @bc.lay on Tik Tok

You find yourself in the midst of a lively discussion with a handsome stranger at the auction Sylus had insisted on attending together. The conversation flows effortlessly between you and a charming man named Elias. He's a renowned artist, his eyes sparkling with intellect as he regales you with tales of his latest exhibition.

As the minutes tick by, you become increasingly aware of Sylus's absence. He had been by your side when you first arrived, a possessive hand resting on the small of your back as he steered you through the crowded room. But now, as you laugh at one of Elias's jokes, you realize you haven't seen him in quite some time.

You glance around the room, scanning the faces of the guests, but there's no sign of Sylus.

Elias leans in closer, his voice lowering to a whisper. "You know, I have a feeling you and I have much more in common than just a love of art. You think that maybe... I can get your number?

"Do you value your ability to breathe without a tube down your throat?"

Your heart leaps in your throat at the sound of that voice. You recognize it instantly.

Elias's eyes widen and he takes a small step back from you, hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

"Easy there, Sylus," Elias says, his charming smile fading into a strained grin. "No need for threats. I was just being friendly."

Sylus steps into view, his dark silhouette looming behind you. His broad shoulders straining against the fabric of his tailored suit jacket. His eyes are fixed on Elias, a dangerous glint in their depths.

"Friendly?" Sylus repeats, a note of amusement in his voice. "Is that what you call it?" His gaze flickers to you for a moment, his expression softening almost imperceptibly before hardening once more as he turns back to Elias. "I've seen how friendly you can get"

Sylus takes another step forward, closing the distance between them. Elias swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. He glances at you, then back at Sylus, and you can see the calculation in his eyes as he weighs his options.

"Look, I didn't mean any disrespect..."

"You're not worthy of so much as a single digit of her phone number. I suggest you forget you ever met her, and move along before I lose my patience entirely."

Elías clears his throat awkwardly and takes a step back "Well, it was... nice chatting with you," he says lamely, before turning and melting into the crowd, leaving you alone with Sylus.

"Was that really necessary? I was just about to say no Sy"

His thumb brushes across your lower lip, the gesture almost tender if not for the harsh set of his mouth. "Let's get out of here. I have far better plans for us tonight."

With that, he takes your hand, his grip unyielding as he begins to steer you towards the exit. His anger is palpable, but there's something else you can't quite name.

🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛🐦‍⬛

As you walk to your room Sylus can't help but notice the shift in your mood. The lively sparkle in your eyes from earlier has been replaced by a troubled look. He watches as you walk ahead of him, your shoulders slightly slumped, your steps hesitant.

Closing the door behind you Sylus sets his jacket down on a nearby chair before turning to face you. He crosses his arms over his broad chest, his brow furrowed as he studies your face with an intensity that makes you squirm slightly.

"Talk to me," he says finally, his voice cutting through the heavy silence of the room. "What's bothering you?"

You take a deep breath, steeling yourself before you speak. "Sylus, I need you to listen to me for a moment. There was no need for you to behave like that back at the auction. You embarrassed Elias in front of everyone."

You shake your head, a flicker of disappointment in your eyes. "An arrogant display like that, threatening him just for talking to me? It was completely uncalled for."

Putting your hands on your hips, you level your gaze at Sylus, your voice firm but calm. "I understand that you want to protect me. But you can't go around intimidating people who cross an imaginary line in your head."

He takes a step closer, invading your personal space. He towers over you, his broad shoulders blocking out the light. His voice is low and tight with barely contained anger when he speaks.

"I've known Elias for years, sweetie. He's a womanizer, plain and simple. I've seen that predatory look in his eyes before, the one he gets when he sets his sights on a new conquest. And tonight, he had it directed at you."

His eyes burn into yours, the red irises seeming to glow with the force of his possessiveness "He knew you were with me. I made sure of that when I introduced you earlier. But he didn't care, did he? No, he just saw a beautiful woman and decided he wanted to add you to his list of fucks."

You plant your palms firmly against his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath his shirt. You push back against him, your voice steady and unwavering as you meet his intense gaze head on.

"I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for years before I even met you."

Your eyes flash with a spark of determination and a hint of annoyance. "I'm a Deepspace Hunter, Sylus. I've faced down Wanderers, I've battled for my life and the lives of others. I think I can handle a little flirtation from a guy like that"

A sly smile tugs at the corner of your mouth as you tilt your head. "Or, and hear me out on this...maybe you were just jealous. Green as the hills, if you will."

You lean in closer, your lips nearly brushing against his as you whisper teasingly, "Is that what this is really about? You couldn't stand the thought of Elias looking at me like that because you want to be the only one with the right to crave me like that?"

Your fingertips walk playfully up his chest, tracing the line of his collarbone. "You know, it's okay to admit it. Jealousy doesn't make you weak, it makes you...human. It means you care, deeply and intensely and maybe just a little bit possessively."

You nip lightly at his bottom lip, your voice a low purr. "So go on, Sylus...admit it. Because I think that's exactly what happened back there. And you know what? It's okay. I can handle a little jealousy, as long as it comes from the right man."

"Lie down" he orders

You don't move, still processing his words, but you see his hands undo his pants then push them down his hips.

"Kitten, lay down on that fucking bed right now."

As you settle against the silk sheets, he finishes removing the last of his clothing, his shirt and underwear dropping to the floor. His erection springs free, long, hard and already leaking at the tip.

Your whispered "Oh god" reaches his ears. Sylus grins, stalking towards the bed until he looms over you. He leans down, one hand braced on either side of your head as he settles between your thighs.

"You sure you want to feed my ego like that? You already think I'm an arrogant asshole and the way you are staring at my cock is about to make me insufferable"

He rolls his hips slowly, his hard length brushing against your thigh through the thin fabric of your dress. The friction makes him groan softly, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

You sit up and his eyes darken as he watches you strip, his gaze roaming greedily over every inch of skin you reveal. When you reach for the lace tops of your stockings, he stops you "Keep those on."I want to see you in nothing but those. Want to feel the lace against your soft skin as I fuck you."

His large hands grip your hips tightly, flipping you over onto your hands and knees with a sudden, dominant move. Before you can react, he's running his palms over the curves of your ass, squeezing and kneading the supple flesh.

"Fuck, your ass is perfect," he growls, his fingers digging into your skin as he spreads your cheeks apart

He leans down, his lips brushing against your ear as he speaks "I want to see you arch your back for me. Want to watch this ass lift up and beg for my cock as I take you from behind."

One hand slides around to the front of your body, his fingers pushing your panties aside to stroke through your folds and then without warning, he grips the fabric and yanks hard, the material tearing away easily in his strong grasp. The cool air hits your now bare sex as you feel the rough lace scrape against your skin for a brief moment before it's ripped away completely.

"Sylus!" you cry out in surprise and a hint of pain. Your hips jerk forward instinctively and red marks bloom on your hipbones.

"Ass up, kitten," he commands, before you can react, he's pushing your upper body down against the mattress, leaving your back arched and your ass high in the air.

You feel the thick head of his cock pressing against your entrance, and then with one hard thrust, he's burying himself inside you to the hilt. Your gasp of surprise mixes with his low groan of pleasure.

"Fuck, you feel incredible," Sylus grunts, his fingers digging into the flesh of your ass as he starts to move, pulling out slowly before slamming back in.

"You're so fucking big Sy"

"But you take it all like a good girl, don't you?"

You feel him set a hard, fast pace, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room. He leans over your back, his chest pressed against you as he fucks into you relentlessly.

"Fuck, can you feel me deep inside your hot little cunt? Gonna fill you up until I run down those pretty stockings."

He feels your walls clench tight around his cock when he rubs your swollen clit. "Fuck, that's it. You're getting close, aren't you?"

He leans down to whisper in your ear, his hot breath sending shivers down your spine. "Come on my cock, kitten."

But that's not your plan.

He growls in frustration as you slip his cock out of your dripping pussy, tight walls clenching around nothing. He grabs you roughly by the waist, dragging your pleasure drunk body back against his chest. "No, no, get that sweet cunt back on my dick," he demands.

But you ignore his command, instead dragging your hand down to plunge your fingers deep inside your aching, empty core. You pump them in and out, fucking yourself with wild abandon, chasing the release that Sylus's relentless pounding brought you to the brink of.

"Fuck, Y/N I swear to god..."

Sylus watches in awe and disbelief as your body jerks and writhes against him, your back arching as you bring yourself to a shattering climax. He can feel your moan in his stomach, your pussy clenching and fluttering around your fingers as you cum hard.

" Are you kidding me?"

You laugh, pat his cheek, peck his lips and move away when he tries to kiss you deeply.

"Thank you, that was so good Sy"

He watches as you stand and stretch languidly. He licks his lips, practically drooling at the delicious image you make.

"Oh, so we're playing now, are we kitten?" He chuckles, he grips his thick shaft and pumps it slowly, teasingly. "You wanna watch me touch myself?

He spreads his legs wider, giving you an unobstructed view of his muscled body and the way his hand works over his huge, throbbing erection. "I could watch you watch me all day, sweetie."

Sylus's tongue darts out to lick his lips, his gaze never leaving yours as he pleasures himself. "You want to help, don't you kitten? Wanna wrap your lips around the head and suck me deep?"

He climbs off the bed and tosses a pillow at your feet as he stalks towards you. "For your knees, it's a hard floor"

The musky scent of his arousal fills your nostrils as you kneel before him on the pillow, your eyes level with his throbbing erection. He positions his painfully engorged cock in front of your face, the swollen head glistening with a bead of precum.

Fisting his cock he aims it at your lips and asks "May I?"

You hear him groan deeply when you nod and open your mouth, your pink tongue out and ready.

He pushes forward, the swollen head of his dick slipping past your lips and settling on your outstretched tongue. "Ungh, yes..." He throws his head back with a guttural moan as he hilts inside you, your nose pressing against his pelvis. 

"I could live inside your mouth, buried deep in your throat. Be a good girl and make me cum"

He hisses in pleasure as you gurgle and moan around him. Tears stream down your face as he fucks your throat raw, his thick cock pounding in and out, stretching your lips around his girth. You taste the salty tang of his skin, feel the hot, hard flesh throbbing against your tongue.

"I'm cumming!" Sylus grunts, his voice tight with strain as his hips stutter and still. He tries to pull back, but your hands grasp his ass, holding him deep inside as you feel his cock pulse and jerk.

The sensation of your teeth accidentally scraping his sensitive flesh sends Sylus over the edge. His hot, thick cum shooting down your throat in spurts. You swallow, gulping down every drop of his release, feeling it coat your throat and slide into your belly.

As the last weak spurts of cum dribble from his spent cock, you pull back, gasping for air. Sylus's thumb traces up the column of your throat, feeling the way it works as you swallow the remnants of his load.

"Greedy, feisty kitten," he praises with smirk, his chest heaving as he struggles to catch his breath.

His strong arms scoop under your elbows, easily lifting you up from your kneeling position. He holds you close, your naked body pressing against his. "Now, how about you let me cum inside you this time, kitten?"

"I think that one is the best tonight" a deep, smooth voice startled you from behind. 

You were admiring Rafayel's breathtaking artwork adorning the gallery walls, you've seen them, but somehow they looked different here.

Slightly caught off guard, you turned to face the man, taking in his handsome features and the way his eyes, as blue as the ocean on a clear day, seemed to sparkle with enthusiasm as he spoke about Rafayel's paintings.

The man introduced himself as Liam, an art critic with an impressive resume and an even more impressive knowledge of the art world.

As the conversation flowed, you couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and admiration for Rafayel. His gift was truly remarkable, and it was clear that others recognized and appreciated his talent as much as you did. Liam talked to you about Rafayel's rise to fame, his groundbreaking exhibitions, and his ability to command astronomical prices for his one of a kind pieces.

As you spoke, you couldn't help but notice the way his eyes lingered on you.

" I see you've met my wife"

You see Liam's eyes go wide as he flashes a smile "Oh wow, I... I didn't know you two were married"

You look over your shoulder to Rafayel with a scowl before returning to Liam "We are not, he is kidding, we are just friends"

"Like hell we are, that's not what you were saying last night when my tongue was in your..."

Rafayel's smirk only grew wider as your hand clamped over his mouth, muffling his words. He let you drag him away, stumbling slightly as you pulled him down a long, dimly lit hallway of the art gallery.

"You're such a tease, you know that?" he mutters against your hand, his hot breath tickling your skin.

His hand finds yours, fingers interlocking as he allows you to lead him deeper into the gallery, away from prying eyes and ears.

As you walk, his gaze rakes over you, hungry and intense. You can feel the heat of his stare, the way it lingers on the curve of your hip, the sway of your ass. It's a tangible thing, a physical caress that makes your skin prickle with goosebumps.

You walk into a small office and close the door behind you, the air is thick with the scent of oil paints, turpentine, and something else, something musky and masculine. Rafayel's scent, you realize, your heart pounding in your chest as he backs you up against a wall, his hands coming to rest on either side of your head.

"Friends, huh?" he murmurs "Is that really what you want people to think?"

"Thomas is gonna be looking for you"

"Fuck Thomas. Fuck the gallery. Fuck everything else."

His hands slide down the wall to your hips, gripping them possessively as he pulls your body flush against his.

One hand moves from your hip to your thigh, his fingers dance along the sensitive skin. He teases, he taunts, drawing out the anticipation until you're squirming against him, desperate for more.

Then, without warning, his hand is under your dress, his fingers seeking out your most intimate place. They find your core, slick, swollen and aching for his touch.

"Do you drip down your thighs for all your friends?" He pinches your clit, rolling the sensitive nub between his fingers. Pleasure explodes through you, making your back arch and your toes curl in your shoes. Your eyes flutter shut, your head falling back against the wall as a broken moan escapes your lips.

"I don't think you do," Rafayel murmurs, his breath hot against your neck. "Because this mess, it's all for me cutie.

He pushes two fingers deep inside you, pumping them in and out, fucking you with his hand. "Does it feel like I'm your friend," he rasps, "when I bury my face between these thighs and eat this sweet pussy like it's my fucking job?" His fingers pump faster, harder, the sound of your arousal filling the small office.

"Or maybe," he continues, his other hand sliding up your body to roughly palm your breast, tweaking your nipple through the thin fabric of your dress, "when you're bouncing on my cock, taking every thick inch like you were made for it, screaming my name as you cum harder than you ever have in your life..."

He leans in close, his lips brushing the shell of your ear, his hot breath making you shiver. "Is that friendship bonding?"

"Fuck" he growls, his hips rocking forward to grind the rigid length of his cock against your thigh. "You squeeze my fingers just like you squeeze my cock when I'm buried deep inside you"

He moves his fingers faster, harder, his thumb presses down hard on your clit, rubbing merciless circles on the sensitive bundle of nerves.

"You're so fucking wet, cutie," Rafayel pants "I can feel it coating my hand, dripping down my wrist. Is that for me, y/n?

He leans down, lips latching onto the side of your neck, sucking and biting at the tender flesh.

He wastes no time, his desperation palpable as he yanks you towards the desk. The room spins briefly as he spins you around and bends you over the edge, your stomach pressing against the cool, smooth surface. Your skirt is flipped up and over in one swift motion.

He yanks down his zipper, freeing his fat cock. It springs out, slapping against your inner thigh, leaving a smear of precum on your skin.

His hands grip your hips as he positions himself. His chest presses against your back, his breath hot and ragged against your neck as he leans down to murmur in your ear.

"Can I fuck you?" he asks "Can I fuck you properly, cutie?

Your hands reach for the edge of the desk, gripping it tightly as you nod. Your body trembling with need, your core clenching and fluttering around nothing, aching to be filled by him.

"Please," you breathe out, arching your back to push your ass firmly against his hips.

Rafayel pulls your panties to the side and hilts himself inside you with one thrust, burying his thick cock to the base of your needy cunt. He stands still for a moment, his hips flush against your ass, allowing you to feel every throbbing inch of him pulsing deep within your core.

As he remains motionless, your hips start to move on their own accord, rocking back against him, desperate for friction, for stimulation, for more. The desk creaks beneath you with the force of your movements, the sound mingling with the ragged pants and moans spilling from your lips.

"Please Raf..." you whimper. Your walls clench around his shaft, trying to keep him deep inside you.

Rafayel chuckles "Please what, cutie?" he teases, his hips still unmoving, his cock throbbing but unmoving inside you. "What are you begging for? You're the one fucking me."

His hips start to move, pulling out until just the tip remains inside you, before slamming back in, burying himself to the hilt in one brutal thrust.

"When I'm pounding this tight cunt, claiming this pussy as mine, it's not friendly fucking," he growls, punctuating his words with sharp snaps of his hips. "This is me showing you who you belong to. This is me reminding you that..."

He reaches around, his fingers finding your clit, rubbing the sensitive nub. "It's all fucking mine. You're mine Y/N. This is me taking what's already mine."

The office door handle jiggles and Rafayel's eyes flash with a thrill of danger. He grins at the interruption, not slowing his relentless pace for a second.

"Maybe it's that hot shot critic, maybe he heard you. That would make things clear for him"

Your body jerks forward from the force of his thrusts, a desperate moan tearing from your throat. "So let them hear, let the whole fucking world know"

Rafayel feels your body tense and then shudder violently as his words and the relentless pounding of his cock finally push you over the edge. Your walls clamp down on him, rippling and fluttering as you come undone.

Rafayel looks down, his eyes dark and wild with lust as he watches your clench around his cock.

Then, he sees it. The creamy ring forming at the base of his shaft where your tight cunt is stretched around his thick girth. It's too much, too fucking perfect. With that Rafayel loses control, slamming into you one last time as his cock jerks and pulses inside you.

He grinds his pelvis against your ass, making sure to push every last drop deep inside you.

He slowly pulls out of you, a low groan rumbling in his chest at the sensation of your walls clinging to his softening cock. As he takes a step back, he looks down at your trembling body bent over the desk, your thighs glistening with the combined essence of your mutual pleasure.

A smirk tugs at his lips as he leans down, trailing a finger through the creamy trails dripping down your skin.

"Such a perfect piece of art," he murmurs, his voice low and awed. "Look at you, cutie. Look at the fucking masterpiece we've created."

He brings his finger to his lips, sampling the tangy flavor of your joining, his eyes never leaving your body. "Maybe I should put you out there, just like this, as my magnum opus, a live exhibit," he continues, his thumb brushing over your lower lip, smearing a dollop of his release there.

His hand cups your chin and tilts your face up to meet his eyes. "Wouldn't that be a sight, cutie?

Your heart clenches as you stare at the paused video on your phone screen, the beautiful woman's smiling face frozen beside Caleb's. An unfamiliar, bitter taste coats your tongue, jealousy, you realize with a start. You swallow hard, trying to dislodge the uncomfortable feeling lodged in your throat.

Caleb's laughter echoes in your mind. That laughter, that beautiful, rare sound, belonged to you. Only you. And seeing it, hearing it, directed at someone else... it feels like a betrayal.

You know you shouldn't feel this way. Caleb is your partner in every sense but one. You've shared everything together since childhood ,laughter, tears, secrets, dreams. But this... this hollow ache in your chest, this burning in your throat... it's new. Terrifying.

Still, as you sit there, gripping your phone like a lifeline, you can't help but wonder... what if Caleb sees her as more than just a friend? What if she sees him the same way you... the way you... can't stop yourself from seeing him?

Your heart sinks as you refresh the page again and again, desperation clawing at your throat. Gone. Vanished like a ghost. The video, your proof, your reason to feel this way... erased without a trace.

A hollow emptiness settles in the pit of your stomach as you toss your phone aside, no longer caring when it clatters onto the cold hardwood floor. It's fitting, really. Just like everything else that matters to you, it's slipping away.

Your mind replays the fleeting images from the video on an endless loop. Caleb's smile, her smile, their laughter. The way she leaned in close to whisper in his ear. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed. The way your heart shattered into a million jagged pieces.

A single tear slips down your cheek, followed by another. And another. Until they're falling in earnest, silent cries of a soul in agony. A soul that yearns for a love it can never have. A love that's slipping away, like grains of sand through an hourglass.

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

You wake to the familiar buzz of your phone on the nightstand, your heart leaping with a foolish hope before you remember. Last night, Gideon's video, the hollow ache in your chest... it all comes rushing back like a bitter tide. He didn't text you last night. Not a single word, not even the usual goodnight message that you've come to expect and secretly crave.

You roll over and grab your phone, staring at the screen as it blinks with an incoming message.

A new message from Caleb. Just like every other morning. Just like clockwork.

Good morning, pipsqueak. Did you eat breakfast already?

You stare at the message and you answer, you always do.

Just waking up now. You know I'm not a morning person.

You hit send before you can overthink it, before the bitter taste of jealousy can creep back into your mouth.

You busy yourself with the mundane tasks of getting ready, trying to push away the lingering ache in your chest. You choose an outfit on autopilot, not really caring what you wear. A simple t-shirt and jeans will have to do.

You get another message and you glance at your phone, expecting to see Caleb's name flashing on the screen. But instead, you find a message from Tara. You hesitate, your thumb hovering over the notification. Going out isn't really your thing, not with everything that's been weighing on your mind lately.

Hey girl! Wanna hit up that new club downtown tonight? I heard it's lit af. ;) What do you say, bestie?

You stare at the message, reading it over and over again. Normally, you'd decline. Make up some excuse about being tired or having too much work to do. But tonight... tonight you need a distraction. Anything to get your mind off things.

Before you can overthink it, you type out a reply, your fingers moving on their own accord.

Sure, why not. Count me in. ;) Pick me up at 7?

🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

You step back from the full length mirror, your eyes traveling the length of the dress Tara lent you. It's a shimmering midnight blue number, the fabric clinging to your curves in all the right places. But it's the length, or lack of that has you second guessing this entire idea.

The hemline sits dangerously high on your thighs, barely grazing the tops of your legs. It's a far cry from your usual casual attire of jeans and t-shirts. You're not used to showing so much skin, to feeling so exposed.

As if sensing your hesitation, Tara appears behind you in the reflection, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. She places her hands on your shoulders, squeezing gently.

"You look smoking hot! Why the long face?" she asks, her brow furrowing in concern.

You bite your lower lip, worrying it between your teeth. "I don't know, Tara. I just...I'm not used to wearing something so...revealing.

Just tonight y/n," Tara reassures you "You deserve to let loose a little after all the hard work you've been putting in. A night out with the girls will do you good."

You know she's right. It has been a while since you last went out and had some real fun. Work has consumed most of your waking hours, and the rest has been spent...thinking about him. Him and her. Him and his laugh that wasn't meant for you.

Lost in thought, you hardly register the short walk to Tara's car. Before you know it, you're sliding into the passenger seat, the leather cool against your bare thighs.

As Tara pulls out onto the main road, you suddenly remember something. Or rather, forget something. You reach for your phone instinctively before remembering that you left it on Tara's dresser.

"Crap, I forgot my phone," you groan.

Tara glances at you, one eyebrow arched. "Do you want to go back and get it?" she asks, already slowing down to pull over to the side of the road.

You hesitate for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. In the end, you shake your head. "No, it's okay. I think I'm good without it for one night"

You settle back into the leather seat, watching the city lights blur past the window as Tara speeds towards the new club downtown.

As the night goes on, you find yourself getting lost in the music, the pulsing beats vibrating through your body as you dance with your friends. The alcohol buzzes warmly in your veins and for a few hours, you allow yourself to forget. To forget the jealousy and heartache that's been consuming you.

You're sandwiched between Tara and another friend, the three of you bouncing and swaying in sync to the pounding beat. Suddenly, a cute guy with a charming smile appears in front of you.

"Hey there," he shouts over the music, leaning in close so you can hear him. "I'm Jason. Wanna dance?"

He extends a hand, his smile widening. Normally, you might have been hesitant, or even said no. But tonight, with the alcohol coursing through your veins and the music pumping you up, you find yourself nodding.

"Sure," you reply, taking his hand and letting him pull you closer.

As the two of you begin to dance, you feel a flicker of excitement. It's nice, being desired. Being wanted. Even if it's not by...him. You push the thought away, refusing to let it ruin this moment.

Jason is a good dancer, his movements confident. He spins you around, pulling you back in close, his hands resting on your hips. You find yourself laughing, the music and the moment overwhelming you in the best way possible.

For a brief instant, you allow yourself to imagine that this could be more than just a dance. That this cute guy could be someone you could see yourself with. But then reality sets in, and you remember the truth:

Your heart belongs to someone else. Someone you can never have. No matter how hard you try to forget, how much you drink, or how many cute guys you dance with.

The room spins as you feel Jason kiss you, his lips foreign and unfamiliar against your own. Your eyes flutter closed, trying to lose yourself in the sensation, desperate to forget the man who truly owns your heart. But as you press your mouth harder against his, you realize that this kiss...it's all wrong.

His lips are too thin, not soft and plush like...like Caleb's. The shape is different, the feel of them unfamiliar. And his breath...it doesn't smell like sweet apples.

A pang of disappointment shoots through you as the realization hits this isn't the kiss you've been dreaming of. This isn't the man you've been longing for. This is just a cruel imitation, a poor substitute for the real thing.

You pull back, breaking the kiss abruptly. Jason looks startled for a moment before a confused frown crosses his face. You open your mouth to say something, to apologize or explain, but no words come out.

Instead, you feel a wave of nausea roll over you, the alcohol you've consumed churning uncomfortably in your stomach. You stumble back from Jason, pressing a hand to your mouth as you try to hold back the urge to vomit.

"Excuse me," you mutter, not meeting his eyes as you turn and push your way through the crowd on the dance floor.

You make it to the bathroom just in time, collapsing in front of the toilet and retching violently. Tears stream down your face as you empty the contents of your stomach, the bitter taste of regret and self loathing coating your tongue.

You splash some cold water on your face, staring at your reflection in the mirror, eyes red and puffy, your makeup smeared from crying and the heat of the club. But looking back at you is the face of a girl who's in love with someone she can never have. A girl who's trying desperately to forget, but failing miserably.

You stumble out of the bathroom, still feeling shaky and off balance.The last person you expect to see tonight is standing right there in front of you, his tall frame unmistakable even in the low light.

Caleb.

He's dressed in button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and dark jeans that hug his muscular thighs. His hair is slightly tousled, like he's been running his fingers through it in agitation. And his eyes...his eyes are fixed on you, a stormy violet that betrays his emotions.

Your eyes widen in shock as Caleb strides towards you, his long legs eating up the distance between you in just a few quick steps. Before you can react, he's upon you, his large hands gripping your waist. In one almost effortless motion, he hoists you up and over his shoulder, leaving your head dangling down his back.

"Caleb!" you yelp, instinctively grabbing onto his shirt to steady yourself. "What are you doing? Put me down!"

But he ignores your protests, his grip on your thighs tightening as he turns to stalk out of the club. Tara watches in stunned silence, her mouth hanging open.

"Oh, hey Caleb," she starts to say, but he cuts her off before she can finish.

"Do you have a way to get home safely?" he asks, his voice low and gruff.

"Yes," Tara replies, her eyes flicking to you in confusion and a hint of concern.

Without waiting for her to finish, Caleb starts walking, carrying you through the crowded club. You bounce and jostle with each step, your dress riding up dangerously high on your thighs. You can feel the cool air on your exposed skin, the fabric of his shirt rough against your cheek.

"Caleb, stop!" you cry, pounding your fist against his back. "You can't just take me like this! I can walk on my own."

But he remains silent, his jaw clenched tight as he pushes through the crowd. You catch glimpses of the curious stares and whispers as he passes.

Soon, the loud music fades behind you as Caleb bursts out of the club and into the cool night air. The sudden change in temperature makes you shiver, and you instinctively press closer to the warmth of his body.

He doesn't stop until he reaches a sleek, black car parked at the curb. With a grunt, he yanks open the passenger door and unceremoniously dumps you onto the leather seat. You land with a thud, the breath knocked out of your lungs temporarily.

Before you can scramble away, he's sliding into the driver's seat beside you, slamming the door shut. The sound of it clicking closed makes you jump, and you shrink back against the far window, eyeing him warily.

"What the hell, Caleb?" you demand, your voice shaking slightly from the cold and the shock of being so abruptly kidnapped. "Why did you just do that? I can't believe you!"

He doesn't respond right away, his grip tightening on the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white. The engine hums loudly in the tense silence between you as he starts driving.

Finally, he slams on the brakes, the car jerking to a halt. He turns to face you, his eyes blazing with an emotion you can't quite place anger, jealousy, pain?

"Did you enjoy it?" he asks, his voice low and rough. "Did you enjoy what you were doing back there with him?"

You glare back at Caleb, your eyes flashing with anger and defiance. "I was enjoying every second of it," you retort, your voice dripping with sarcasm. "In fact, I'm thinking of going back again. Maybe I'll let him kiss me again, maybe I'll let him do even more than that"

You feel a surge of anger rising up inside you, your cheeks flushing hot with both fury and humiliation. How dare he accuse you like this, demand answers to questions he has no right to ask? He had no right to drag you out of there like some kind of caveman!

"Did you enjoy his attention?"

"Did you enjoy hers?" 

"So this is what all of this is about?"

"Did you?"

"I hated every second of it"

You grip the edge of your seat as he speeds off, the car lurching forward and the rest of the way home is silent.

Once you get home you step out of the car, not waiting for him to open your door. You walk ahead of him, your heels clicking loudly against the pavement as you cross the parking lot to your apartment building. The cool night air nips at your bare legs, but you barely feel it. You're too focused on the man following close behind you

You can feel his gaze burning into your back, hot and intense. It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

As you approach your front door, you hesitate, your hand hovering over the handle. You know you should say something, should try to diffuse the tension that's building between you. But what can you say?

You turn to face him, your heart pounding in your chest. He's standing close, too close, his broad shoulders taking up almost the entire doorway. He's looking down at you, his eyes dark and stormy, his jaw clenched so tightly you think he might break his teeth.

"Caleb..." you start, but the words die in your throat. 

His hand comes up, his fingers brushing against your cheek. You lean into the touch instinctively, your eyes fluttering closed for a moment. When you open them again, he's looking at you with a mix of anger, jealousy, and something else... something softer.

"Just... go inside," he says quietly. "Before I do something we'll both regret."

You barely make it inside before the nausea hits you again and you run to the bathroom. Once again falling to your knees in front of the toilet, you retch, your stomach churning as you empty its contents. Tears stream down your face, mingling with the drool and sweat as sobs wrack your body.

Behind you, you hear the click of the bathroom door closing, and then the sound of Caleb's footsteps on the tile floor. He doesn't say a word, but you feel his presence looming over you, as solid and comforting as it always was when you were a kid.

His hands gather your hair, pulling it back from your face and holding it out of the way as you continue to heave and retch. Just like he used to do when you were little and got sick after eating too much ice cream.

The memory makes you cry even harder, great gulping sobs that hurt your chest and burn your throat. You're suddenly transported back to those simpler times, when all you needed was Caleb to make everything better. When he was your rock, your protector, your best friend in the whole wide world.

Why did things have to get so complicated? Why did falling in love with him have to ruin everything? You were happier before, when you could just be with him without all this fear and longing and heartache.

You're dimly aware of Caleb shifting behind you, his arm wrapping around your waist to hold you up as the last of the sickness leaves your body. He rubs your back in soothing circles, just like he used to, crooning soft words of comfort into your ear.

"Shh, I've got you," he murmurs, his voice low and deep and so achingly familiar. "I'm here, pipsqueak. I'm not going anywhere."

You let Caleb help you brush your teeth, rinsing the bitter taste of sickness from your mouth. He hands you a glass of water and a couple of pills, no doubt for the headache that's starting to throb behind your eyes.

Without a word, you take them, swallowing them down with a few gulps of the cool water. Caleb watches you silently, his expression unreadable.

When you're finished, he takes your hand and leads you back out to the bedroom. The room spins slightly as you walk, and you have to lean against him for support. He steadies you easily, his arm wrapping around your waist.

At the bed, he pauses, letting you sit down on the edge of the mattress. You watch as he pulls back the covers, the sheets smooth and cool and inviting. He helps you lie down, tucking the blanket around your shoulders like you're a child.

You settle back against the pillows, suddenly exhausted by the events of the night. Caleb stands over you, looking down at your face. In the moonlight filtering through the window, his expression is soft, almost tender.

He reaches out, brushing a strand of hair off your forehead. His fingers linger, tracing the curve of your cheek, the line of your jaw. You lean into his touch, your eyes fluttering closed.

"Sleep now," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be here when you wake up."

You believe him, because you've always believed him. Because he's always kept his promises, no matter what. Even when the world felt like it was falling apart around you, Caleb was your constant, your safe haven, your home.

With a sigh, you let yourself sink into the mattress, the exhaustion pulling you down into a deep sleep. The last thing you hear before everything fades to black is the soft click of the bedroom door as Caleb steps out, giving you privacy and space, just like he always does. Just like he's always done. Even in sleep, you reach for him, your hand searching for the warmth and solidity of his body. But that side its empty, the sheets cool and smooth and untouched.

You wake with a start, your heart pounding in your chest. The sheets beneath you are damp with sweat, tangled around your legs. For a moment, you're disoriented, unsure of where you are or how you got here.

Memories of the night before come rushing back, the club, Caleb's fury, the sickening nausea that left you weak and shaking. You shiver as a chill runs through you, the cold sweat on your skin making you feel clammy and unclean.

Slowly, you sit up, pushing the damp hair out of your face. Your mouth feels dry, your tongue thick and furry. 

You swing your legs over the side of the bed, standing up gingerly as a wave of dizziness washes over you. You grab onto the edge of the bed, waiting for it to pass before taking a tentative step forward.

As you creep towards the door, you suddenly remember Caleb's parting words. He said he'd be here when you woke up. You hadn't been sure what to make of that at the time, too tired and miserable to think it through. But now, a flicker of worry ignites in your chest.

You slip out the bedroom door and into the darkened living room. At first, you don't see him. The room is small and cramped, filled with the detritus of your life. Clothes are strewn over the back of the couch, empty cups and plates litter the coffee table. It's a mess, a reflection of the chaos inside your head.

But then you see him. He's stretched out on the tiny sofa, his long legs dangling off the edge, his broad shoulders hunched to fit the too small space.

You step closer, your heart starting to pound for a different reason now. Caleb looks so peaceful when he's asleep, his face relaxed, his dark lashes fanning out against his cheeks. He's even more beautiful like this, without the anger and pain that usually clouds his eyes.

As you tiptoe back towards the bathroom, you pause for a moment, glancing back at Caleb's sleeping form. He's shifted slightly, one arm falling off the couch to hang down to the floor.

A pang of guilt spears through you as you remember the anger in his eyes last night. The jealousy. The pain. All because of you and your stupid, impulsive actions.

Shaking your head, you quickly look away, hurrying into the bathroom. You turn on the shower, waiting for the water to heat up. As steam starts to fill the small room, you strip off your clothes, letting them drop to the floor. You step into the shower, sighing as the hot water hits your cool skin.

You scrub yourself thoroughly, washing away the grime and sweat of the night before. But no matter how hard you scrub, you can't seem to wash away the shame and guilt that clings to you like a second skin.

With a heavy sigh, you turn off the water, stepping out of the shower. You wrap a towel around your body, tucking it in at the top.

You walk out of the bathroom, still wrapped in your towel, steam curling around your legs.

As you step into the bedroom, you freeze, your heart leaping into your throat.

There, sitting on the edge of your bed, is Caleb. He looks big and imposing in your small bedroom, taking up more space than he should.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. The silence stretches between you, thick and heavy with unspoken words and lingering anger.

Then Caleb breaks the silence, his voice low and rough from sleep. "Hey," he says simply, his gaze never leaving yours.

You swallow hard, suddenly feeling very aware of your state of undress. You clutch the towel tighter around your body, as if it could somehow shield you from the intensity of his stare.

Hey," you reply softly, not trusting yourself to speak any louder.

He stands up then, moving towards you with slow, deliberate steps. He stops when he's standing right in front of you. You have to tilt your head back to look up at him, your heart pounding wildly in your chest.

"You really don't get it, do you?"

His thumb presses against your lower lip, tracing the soft curve. He leans in closer, his breath mingling with yours. You can smell the faint scent of apples, the lingering aroma of his cologne. It's the same scent that always lingers on your skin after he holds you close.

"I saw the way those men looked at you last night," he grits out, a flicker of anger sparking in his eyes. "I saw them staring at what's mine. And it made me want to... to..."

"Yours?"

"Yes, mine" he confirms "You've been mine for years. Long before you even realized it."

He takes a shuddering breath, his chest expanding and when he speaks again, his words are raw and unguarded, laid bare by the weight of his emotions.

"I can't hold back anymore. I can't pretend that I don't want you, that I don't need you like air in my lungs. I've wanted you for so long, and seeing you with him last night... it made me realize that I can't keep pretending anymore."

"I would never touch another woman, not when you're all I can think about. Not when you've consumed my every thought, my every dream, for as long as I can remember. You're the one constant in my life. My everything."

Caleb's eyes widen for a split second in surprise before they flutter shut as your lips meet his in a clash of long denied passion. He makes an approving sound in the back of his throat, his arms wrapping around you to crush you against his muscular body.

It's like a dam bursting open, a flood of pent up emotion and desire pouring out of him as he kisses you with a hunger that steals your breath away. His lips move demandingly over yours, his tongue delving into your mouth to claim and possess.

You feel the same desperate hunger rising up inside you, a starving ache that can only be sated by him. Your fingers clutch at his shirt, fisting the fabric as you press yourself even closer, needing to feel every inch of him against every inch of you.

His hands roam your body with a sense of urgency, mapping out the curves he's always craved to touch. He tugs impatiently at the towel, and it falls away, baring your naked flesh to his eyes. He breaks the kiss just long enough to drink in the sight of you.

He leans down to capture one of your nipples in his mouth, his tongue swirling around the hardened peak before he suckles hard. Pleasure jolts through you, and you arch into him, your fingers tangling in his hair to hold him close.

His hand slides down your stomach, his fingers leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He parts your thighs, and you feel the cool air on your overheated skin before his fingers find your center.

He groans against your breast, his fingers sliding through your folds, teasing your clit with a skill that has you seeing stars. "So fucking wet," he murmurs, lifting his head to look at you with eyes that blaze with lust. "All for me, Pip? 

He walks you backwards until your legs hit the edge of the bed. His hands grip your thighs, squeezing the soft flesh as he lifts you up effortlessly. You wrap your legs around his waist instinctively.

He lays you down on the bed, his body covering yours, pinning you to the mattress. He kisses you again, his hips nestling between your spread thighs.

Pulling back, he looks down at you with eyes darkened by desire, his chest heaving. "Tell me where you want me, baby"

He strokes the soft skin of your inner thighs, his thumbs brushing maddeningly close to the apex of your legs.

"Here?" he murmurs, his fingers grazing your sex, "or maybe... here? Show me"

"Caleb..."

"Show me, Y/N"

Slowly you spread your legs apart, feet flat on the mattress and you point a finger in between your thighs "Here"

"Dip one finger in"

You obey his command. He inhales sharply when your finger parts your glistening folds. His eyes follow the path of your finger as it trails over your sensitive clit, and a low groan escapes his lips at the sight of your touch.

"Stop" his voice makes you pause, your finger hovering just above your needy sex as you blink up at him.

"Not there," he says, "Dip just the tip of your finger straight into your tight little cunt. Let me see you open yourself up for me."

The tip of your finger disappears inside of you. He licks his lips, his eyes fixated on the way your walls clench around it, as if begging for something more.

"That's enough, I want a taste. Feed it to me"

You withdraw your finger from your dripping pussy and bring your finger to Caleb's parted lips, watching as he takes it into his mouth without hesitation. His tongue swirls around the tip, lapping up your essence, his lips sealing around the digit as he suckles firmly. An approving moan vibrates around your finger, the sound sending shivers of pleasure racing through your body.

"Mmm, fuck," he murmurs, releasing your finger from his mouth. "You taste even better than I imagined. Believe me when I say that I'm going to lick this sweet little cunt until you're screaming my name and cumming on my tongue over and over again. But right now, I need to be inside you"

With that declaration, he sits back on his heels and reaches for the hem of his shirt, he pulls it over his head and tosses it aside. His muscles ripple and flex as he moves, a testament to the strength and power that lies beneath his skin.

Next, he unbuckles his belt. He stands briefly to shimmy out of his jeans, letting them drop to the floor and leaving him in nothing but a pair of tight, black boxer briefs that do little to hide the thick outline of his arousal.

He crawls back over you, settling between your spread thighs, his hips nestling against yours. He leans down to capture your lips in a kiss, his tongue delving deep to taste you again. You can feel the heat of his skin, the hard length of him pressing insistently against your core.

Breaking the kiss, he reaches down to push his boxers out of the way, freeing his cock. It springs up thick and hard, the swollen head already glistening with precum. He takes himself in hand, stroking himself slowly as he looks down at you.

Caleb groans and throws his head back as your small hand wraps around him. "Princess," he grunts, his hips bucking slightly into your touch. He can feel your hesitation, your innocence, and it makes him want to take his time with you.

When you push him back onto the bed and settle between his spread thighs, his chest heaves with anticipation. He can only watch as you lean down and extend your little pink tongue to lick a slow, teasing path along the underside of his cock.

"Oh, fuck," he gasps, his fingers tangling in your hair, gripping the soft strands tightly.

"Teach me how to do it, I want to make you feel good"

"Fuck, Pip," he rasps, his hips twitching with the effort of holding still and letting you take the lead. "You're killing me here. Your mouth feels so fucking good."

He guides your head with a gentle pressure, encouraging you to take more of him into your mouth. "Start by just licking along the shaft," he instructs, his voice strained. "Use the flat of your tongue, from the base up to the tip."

As you follow his directions, he shudders and lets out a low moan. "That's it, just like that. You're doing so good, princess. Your mouth is perfect."

"Now," he continues, his breathing growing heavier, "try wrapping your lips around the head. Just the tip, okay? And suck gently, like you would with a lollipop. Use your lips and your tongue toge...Ungh...Fuck, just like that," Caleb groans, his fingers tightening in your hair as he feels your soft lips wrap around the swollen head of his cock.

He guides your head down a little further, inch by inch, letting you take more of his thick length into your mouth. "Remember to breathe through your nose, and don't worry about taking it all at once. Just focus on the head for now."

As you suck gently, your tongue swirling around the tip, Caleb's thighs tremble beneath your hands. "Shit...fuck. Now, try bobbing your head a little. Just an inch at a time, letting your lips slide along my shaft. Find a rhythm that feels good for you."

He looks down at you, his eyes dark and intense, filled with a mix of lust and affection. "You're doing amazing. I've never felt anything like this before. Your mouth is pure magic."

He watches, enraptured, as your head rises and falls, your lips wrapped snugly around him. The sight of your pretty mouth stretched around him, the feeling of your warm, wet mouth enveloping him, its too much for Caleb to take.

Caleb's body tenses, his grip on your hair tightening as he feels his release fast approaching. With a low groan, he suddenly moves, sliding his throbbing shaft from the warm haven of your mouth.

Before you can miss the loss, he's moving, flipping your body over and settling between your thighs once more. His hands grip your hips, squeezing the soft flesh as he positions himself at your entrance.

"Not yet, baby," he rasps, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. "I can't cum like that, not before I feel you wrapped around me. I want to be inside you when you let go."

The head of his cock nudges against your wet folds, parting them, teasing your entrance. His breath comes in short, sharp gasps as he fights the urge to surge forward, to bury himself to the hilt in one thrust.

"Can I?"

"Please Caleb"

"Biiiig stretch," Caleb grunts, his voice strained as he thrusts forward. He buries himself to the hilt slowly, his heavy balls coming to rest against your skin.

Your gasp of surprise and the way your back arches off the bed, pressing your breasts against his chest, spurs him on.

He pauses for a moment, letting you adjust to the size of him, the stretch of your untouched walls around his shaft. His heart pounds wildly in his chest, a mix of exertion and exhilaration. The heat of your core is incredible, the wetness coating his length allowing him to slide in and out of you.

He pulls back slowly, until just the tip of his cock remains inside you, before thrusting forward again, burying himself deep. He sets a steady rhythm, his hips rocking against yours as he fucks you with long, deep strokes.

He lifts your leg, hooking it over his shoulder as he angles his hips and thrusts deep, striking a spot inside you that makes your back arch off the bed.

"Do that again," you gasp, your nails digging into his back, urging him on. Your words inflame him, spurring him to do exactly as you asked. He pulls back and slams forward again, his thick cock pummeling that sensitive spot deep inside your core.

"That's it, it's there!" you cry out, your head thrown back, your throat bared to his hungry gaze.

He leans down, capturing your nipple his teeth grazing the sensitive peak. He suckles and nips at the hardened bud. His hand slides between your bodies, his fingers finding your clit, rubbing the swollen nub in tight, quick circles.

Your screams of pleasure fill the room, a symphony of ecstasy that makes Caleb's heart soar. He can feel your body trembling beneath him, your walls fluttering and clenching around him. The pleasure is overwhelming, unlike anything you've ever experienced on your own. It leaves you dizzy and breathless, your mind hazing with the intensity of it all.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," Caleb grunts, his voice strained as he pounds into you with wild abandon. Sweat beads on his brow, his muscles flexing and rippling with each thrust. He's lost in the sensation of your tight cunt, in the way your body molds to his perfectly.

But then, he feels it. The way your hips start to rock up to meet his, your body instinctively seeking more pleasure. Your legs wrap around his waist, your heels digging into his backside as you urge him deeper, harder, faster.

"Don't fucking stop," you manage to gasp out between ragged breaths and wanton moans. "Don't ever stop, Caleb. Please."

He reaches down, gripping your thigh and hiking your leg even higher, until your knee is nearly pressed to your chest. The new angle allows him to drive even deeper into your core, his cock head kissing your cervix with each savage thrust. The bed creaks beneath you, the headboard slamming against the wall.

Your body tenses, back arching sharply as the coil of pleasure inside you snaps. A scream tears from your throat, raw and primal, as your climax crashes over you. Your walls clamp down around him like a vice, gripping his length with a force that steals his breath. The sensation is too much, too intense, too perfect.

His hips stutter, his rhythm faltering as your cunt milks his cock, demanding his own climax.

His cock pulses and throbs as he finds his own release, thick ropes of hot seed erupting from the swollen head to paint your insides white.

"I can't... I can't believe it," he gasps, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. "I thought I could last longer, but you just... god, Pip, you just felt too fucking good."

He's not sure if he was too rough, too demanding in his desire to claim you, to make you his. The thought that he might have hurt you leaves him feeling guilty and protective.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly. His hand comes up to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing gently over your skin. "Did I hurt you, baby? I didn't mean to be so rough..."

He searches your face intently, looking for any sign of discomfort or pain. But all he sees is a reflection of his own satisfaction, his own lingering pleasure.

You shake your head, a small smile playing at the corners of your mouth. "No, I'm not hurt," you assure him

"Wanna go again?" he asks teasingly. He rocks his hips slightly, his softening cock still nestled deep inside your sensitive core.

"You're secretly a dirty dog, Caleb," you accuse playfully, a giggle escaping your lips. You nip at his jaw, your teeth grazing the stubble that's begun to grow there. "A big, bad, horny dog."

Caleb's only response is a low, rumbling "Woof," his lips curling into a wolfish grin.

[bonefanatic]

"Careful", you snag the boy's shirt before he can step into the road. The boy's head snaps away from his phone and towards you.

He looks pissed but you watch his face shift into a blank sort of stare.

"Sorry-", you release the grip on his shirt, shifting the carrier on your hip, "you should pay more attention when you're this close to the road."

You offer him a weak smile and he blinks up at you, then turns and scurries across the road, focused back onto his phone. Sighing, you adjust baby carrier and begin walking again.

The walk isn't a horrible one, ten minutes is nothing on the half hour walk it takes you to get to work. It's just a little more difficult with a awkward sized baby carrier.

Typically you'd take the train, but you need to get to the grocery store before it gets dark. The air is already chilly but the forecast calls for snow and the baby doesn't need that.

-

The store is a little warmer when you step inside and you even manage to snag a buggy.

The store is relatively quiet and you find what you need to...except for the box of baby rice towards the back on a shelf you can't reach.

You groan softly, glancing at the snoozing babe. She loves those...

You stand on your very tiptoes, grabbing at air. Then, a hand reaches up and grabs them. You turn, about to ask them for the box, when the man passes the box to you.

"Here, you looked like you needed help." He holds the box out with one hand, running his fingers through his black hair with the other.

You blink curiously at him, then take the box.

"Thank you so much, hon." You grin, placing the item in your cart and hurrying to check out.

-

The walk is still cold, despite the sun barely starting to set. You shiver, somehow managing to carry the groceries and the baby carrier at the same time.

About half a mile from your apartment, you bump into a chest. Dropping a few bags and praying the eggs aren't in them.

"Sorry about that", a masculine voice mumbles above you. You tilt your head up to meet the eyes of a boy a little younger than the one who helped you before. He tilts his head, a tuft of white hair hanging in his eyes.

"Would you like some help?" He starts grabbing the dropped bags before you can answer. He makes a gesture for you to lead the way.

"I'm Jason, by the way. We live in the same complex."

You swear you've never seen him before, but maybe that's just you.

-

That night, groceries put away and a baby snuggled happily against your chest, you lay in bed.

Oblivious to several pairs of eyes watching you and the bickering from the rooftops above.

"Ummi spoke to me today, with the baby!" Damian speaks.

"Yeah, well I helped ma with her groceries!" Jason gives him a playful shove.

"Well, the baby smiled at me!" Dick jabs a thumb at his chest triumphantly.

"All of you hush!" Tim speaks up, crouched next to Duke, eyes focused on a familiar window.

Bruce looms nearby, caught up his daydream where he's the sweater wrapped so tightly around you. Someday.

Someday sooner than you think.

[websterss]

THE HAND THAT’S FORCED (2) — ROBERT REYNOLDS

SUMMARY: You hadn’t meant to get attached to Bob, much less fall in love with him. You hadn’t meant for things to slip out right from underneath your grasp. Out of your control, much like Valentina holding your love for one another over your heads.

WARNING(S): SPOILERS!!! angst, some visual descriptions, but nothing too extreme, I believe, dead parent/sibling illusion, Valentina being a horrible being again.

WORD COUNT: 5,164

PAIRING: Robert Reynolds (Sentry/The Void) x fem!reader

A/N: Hope you guys like it. There will be one more part to this now mini series lmfao. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but the ideas kept coming.

MASTERLIST | PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3

Valentina had opened the door, the light from the hall greeting the body that lay slumped.

“She’s not dead, is she?” She looked over at Mel, holding a tablet to her chest. She was wearing a black blazer over her white blouse. Her eyes widened as the directed question finally settled into her mind. "Told some people to rough her up a bit, but geezus...look at her."

“Oh! Um…” She rushed forward, her jacket flailing outward as she crouched down, reaching two fingers forward, pressing them against your neck. She glanced at the watch on her wrist. Counting the barely there heartbeats. “Her heartbeat, it’s faint but there…Is she gonna die?” She stood slowly from crouching down before you.

“No. Why? Does her chart imply otherwise, because I need her alive? The kid may be gullible, but the other one…That one is a force to be reckoned with. Though I’m not too sure if he’s even aware of her state. I did separate them for a good while.”

"She should be fine. Her vitals look good. Her energy is still stable. A broken rib or two perhaps." Mel glances up from the tablet in her hand.

Valentina let her shoulders fall. The relief was so obvious that she nearly clicked her heels for you. Probed with genuine concern for your well-being. It was a change from the cold demeanor and indifference she carried for you.

"What is she worth to you?" Mel asked out of curiosity.

"What is she worth to me? She’s leverage, Mel. To sway that other one out there.” Valentina lifted her phone to her line of sight. "Bait him in with her while we still have the upper hand. It came with some force on my end, but she altered his memories before. Just as I hoped she could. Now, if we could just get her close enough to do it again. Come on, let's get a move on with transporting her. Two hands are better than four!"

"Isn't it four hands that are better than two?"

"Two hands!" Valentina called over her shoulder. Gesturing for Mel to follow her with you hauled up in her arms.

She looks back down at you.

“I guess I’m dragging you. Sorry.” She grimaced.

-

You didn't know the length of which you'd been out cold. It hadn't been long before you came to. Shaken, more like. Your disoriented state adjusting to the harsh darkness bleeding through a massive broken window. The tower. You sit up slowly, pushing up with your hands to steady your rise.

"Easy there." A voice spoke to your right, just barely above a whisper. You knew whose voice it belonged to. The false sincerity was evident. “Take it slow now, sweetheart. You’ve been through hell.”

Valentina. You turn your head steadily. Your gaze meets the smile you’ve wanted to slap off her face.

"You-" You muster enough to say. "You sent men after me, and then, they beat me down. Then you drugged me."

"I did." She admitted without a hint of shame. You scoff at her accountability.

"W-Where's Bob? What have you done with him now?"

A moment passed before she responded, the silence growing heavy. Terrorized screams and cries ran past the entrance. You finally glanced around, taking in the rubble of drywall disregarded, the entryway glass windows shattered, as though driven into. Your attention shifts to your left, eyeing the random delivery truck parked inside the building with genuine curiosity.

"Oh, your lover, he's outside right now, thrashing New York City for the umpteenth time, turning people into shadows, that sort of thing. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" She hums.

"Shadows?" You mutter to yourself before you push yourself off the ground, your legs try to give as you stand. "No...It's taken control over him again. It's happening again like it did in the lab." Your eyes shut.

She took note of your confusion, watching your movements carefully. "What do you mean, like it did in the lab?"

"You have no idea what we witnessed in Malaysia. It was something unexplainable. Way beyond our jurisdiction and capabilities, and you never bothered to try and hear us out. You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"You're right." Valentina conceded, taking a step forward. "I have no idea what we're dealing with…but what I do know is how you managed to go this far, this whole time, and not tell a single soul the abilities you possess. I mean a telepath? Mental manipulation, and a PHD under your belt. You're a shoo-in for the front cover of the New York Times, sweetheart."

Absolute dread consumes you.

Her lips curled into a smirk, noting your panic. "Oh, don't act so surprised. Your mother was quite a special lady, I hear. Talk about mother of the year, am I right? Those developed mommy issues, I’m sure. God, what kind of parent experiments on their own child?"

“She was unwell. S-She was lost after we lost my father.” You try to justify her actions like you'd done for half your life.

"Right…" Valentina stepped forward once more, the coolness of her breath hitting your face. "You always defend your mother's abuse? Even I know better than to believe that she wasn't anything but mentally unstable, not that you'd ever admit it, as I can see."

"What do you want from me?"

"Information. A way to control him." Her words were straightforward. No beating around the bush. Your gaze was drawn to the slight bruising forming around her neck.

Your stance grows confident, as does your smirk. "This is way above your pay grade, huh?"

A scoff escaped her lips. "You're gonna go out there, use that bond you created with him to your advantage, and alter his memory."

Was she serious?

"You really believe altering his memories will stop this chaos?" You scoff at her this time. "You're in over your head, lady."

She paused, taking a moment to examine your reluctance. "Then what would you suggest to stop him?" She complained.

"I don't know-"

"Then how the hell can you stand there and claim that I'm the one in over my head? The nerve you have, kid-"

"Look, the last time we dealt with him this way. Two of our doctors died. I was a last resort to bring him down from his own mind, they thought I could talk to him, since I was the only one he was comfortable around, but-"

"Perfect! We'll use that then." Valentina was satisfied with the idea and started dragging you outside.

"No wait! You don't know what you're dealing with, Valentina. I wasn't able to-" You grunt as she shoved you out onto the road. You catch your bearings as you peer up at her with anguish.

"I don't care what we're dealing with. You're gonna fix this and put this city back to the way it was, or so help me!"

"Just stop and listen for once! I can't help him the way you think I can. I-It didn't wo-" You begin to shake your head until you flatten against the concrete. Left as a shadowed victim in her wake. Valentina falters backward. Peering at the shadow of you that begins spreading like a wildfire.

"Shit!" The silence that followed Valentina's panicked outburst was unsettling.

-

“Where do you go…” Bob looks up from the IV you inserted into his left vein. “When you’re not here…with me?”

You paused your insertion, then continue putting tape over the line to prevent it from falling out of his skin. His curious eyes make the corners of your lips curl up.

“Home.” Your tone was casual as can be. “I-I go home. Then come back here to do it all over again.” You pick up your chart and jot notes down. They’d kill you on sight if your documentation was behind. They wouldn’t be able to rely on the existence of your tests if there’s no proof of you doing them.

“What’s something you like to do for fun?”

You feel the gentle caress of his fingertips, pushing back a strand that got in the way of his view of you.

Your pen stops moving as you tilt your head up. His eyes soften as he timidly curls the hand on your face around to cup your neck. A small gasp leaves you as a flash crosses the forefront of your mind. A little girl watches from behind an ajar door, peeking inside a lab where a disheveled woman, near right, trashes her equipment. ‘It’s not working? Why isn’t it working?’ The woman exclaims. Bob's voice pulls you back.

He watches how your face goes blank for a split second until life flashes across your eyes again. He didn’t mean to make you relive a memory. A new ability of his that he had yet to gain control over.

“I’m sorry.” He goes to pull his hand back. “I didn’t mean to make you see that-“

“You can’t help it.” You reassured. “But umm…besides talking to you and the guinea pigs…” You breathe a nervous laugh, wanting to make light of the troubling memory you saw. His grin widens a bit as he senses the notion of your teasing. “I like to write sometimes. Reading is what I do most, though.”

“W-What do you write about?” He focuses his attention on caressing your skin with his thumb. Taken by your good nature, how pure you were compared to the others who manhandled him. Your touch was always so sweet, gentle.

He hated himself more than ever in this moment; he made you relive a memory unintentionally. He couldn’t help that when he came into contact with someone, they’d get a relapse of their past.

“Anything. Everything. My life. What life could be. How my life could have been. Though it's mostly about a girl who wants to live a life that's not her own, someone who's entered this false fantasy she craves more than anything. I don’t like to dwell too much on reality when writing honestly. It’s trying to escape it, I write more of.”

"D-Do you think your writing helps you to cope...with reality? From certain pain."

"It distracts me for a short while." Your eyes flutter as he continues to trace your neck to your jawline. The slight twitch of your muscles didn't go unnoticed by him. His thumb gently presses just a bit under your ear in response. "It's temporary, though. An...illusion. It only helps so much. You still have to come back to reality at the end of the day. You can never escape from what’s truly real."

“That’s a bit ironic, no?” Bob’s brows furrow in thought. His smile remains the same. Gentle and serene. “Wanting to run from reality doesn’t seem like something a doctor like you would do, since you’re all about the science and the logic of things?”

"Science and logic doesn't always have to be applied to all things in life." You respond nonchalantly as you make another mark on your paper. A soft hum escapes you as he continues to rub your neck with his thumb at the same time. "I prefer to see things from a variety of perspectives, through emotions, for example."

He nods, taking in your response. He's not too surprised that a woman like you isn't confined to thinking one particular way. For one, you never saw him as a weapon, a subject to be tested on. He wasn’t another candidate, he was just Bob to you, and you were Y/n to him.

You tilt your head up, your gaze meeting his once more. “Just because I'm a scientist doesn't mean I'm not human. I have vices. I have opinions. I have feelings. I have fears as much as I do doubts. I have weaknesses...As I have certain strengths." You mutter the last bit. Bob locks eyes with you. His eyes softened. “So yes, I suppose it may seem ironic, but when you know certain truths, you start to wonder if logic and reasoning are enough anymore to justify the reality of them.“

Bob’s gaze remains locked onto yours, his smile disappearing as he seems to get caught up in his thoughts. He seemed hesitant to speak aloud. He continues to gently rub your neck, the touch of his thumb on your skin sending ripples down your spine.

After a few moments of him not saying anything, you speak up. "Penny for your thoughts?"

“I-I know exactly what that feels like and I wanna kiss you for it…”

Your head snapped up instantly, your eyes widening in surprise. You can visibly see that Bob's demeanor has changed. The calm, gentle aura he had before has turned into something much more intense, something much more charged and desperate and full of want. His grip on your neck tightens just a bit. His gaze is fixed on your lips, as if he's been starved.

The faint flicker between his amber eyes then to his blue ones had you wanting to take precaution like they taught you all to do, but you don’t remove his grasp on your neck, and let him in. Let him kiss you. It wasn’t long until Bob wrapped a hand around your waist to tug you closer.

“She was your person…” Yelena‘s heart hammers with guilt. The others quietly take in the tender scene unfolding.

“S-She’s the only one who saw me.” Bob’s eyes tear up at the sight of you and him together. “And I couldn’t save her, I-” Bob flinches as another you enters the room they’re all in, the door having been slammed open.

“What’s this one?” Yelena reaches for her gun by her side, having been startled by your appearance as well.

“I don't know…” Bob’s brows furrow as he watches this version of you, fear-stricken. “I don’t have any memories of this, at all.”

“Y/n?” Bob sat up.

“Bob! Oh my god, thank god!” You exclaim, rushing forward to cup his face. “You're okay. I’ve missed you!”

“Y/n, what are you doing here?” Bob was startled by your hurried entrance. He hadn’t seen you for months. Then he woke up alone with no clue where he was, and now you appeared out of the blue.

“I don’t have much time-“ You hurried around the space, frantically pulling out a syringe and a bottle. "Valentina will know I'm here and send people after me."

“Wait, what do you mean?” Bob steps back.

“I need to hurry. I gotta get you out of here.” Your shaking hands fumbled with the syringe. Bob reaches for them. Another memory pulling you from this reality at his touch. You stood still, motionless, until Bob pulled back, guilt eating at his features as he heard you gasp. You looked around, out of breath, until your gaze settled on him once again. You were still here. You were still here with him.

“I-I don’t understand-“Bob's brows furrow as he holds his hands out.

“They don't know that you made it through the final trial.” You stop altogether, meeting his scared eyes. "That you're alive. Valentina only knows what I've been telling her, but they don't know. I can get you out of here while I still can. We can go like we talked about. O-Our mediocre picket fence cliche." You breathe out a laugh. "We've got to go now, though!"

“Alive? But I am alive! Why would she think otherwise…” Bob’s innocence always seemed to fill you with dread. You close your eyes.

“Because I told her you didn't.” You peer open your eyes. Finding his resolve disappearing.

“You what?”

“I was never gonna go through with it. The others didn't make it, and when you came to us in Malaysia, every test we ran kept working...Your trials exceeded our expectations. The way things were heading, though, they were only gonna weaponize you. I couldn't do it. I couldn't stand with them, while you only endured more pain. You have to know this! It’s why you woke up.” You held his arms. Eyeing his entire being, head to toe. He wasn’t scarred or injured. He was fine. “I had to make it look real, but she knows now. She found out about what I did.”

“I don’t remember this.” Bob walked towards the replica of yourself. “She told me she wanted to out Valentina's secrets to the public? This isn't my memory.” Bob shakes his head. "I don't remember this!"

The memory glitched. Your body convulsed until the memory glitched once more, and the next you were kneeling before him, crying.

"I don't want to. I don't want to. You took them from me." You choked back a sob. You were talking to yourself.

"Y/n? Don't want to what?" He cupped your face.

"I'm so sorry..." A tear fell down your face before your hands reached up, cupping his face. You gasped before his body gave, and he slumped into your shoulder. You cradled him close. Closing your eyes as you kissed his hair.

“Well, if it’s not yours, then whose is it?” John questioned.

“I-It’s mine.” Their heads whip around. Your disheveled state catches them off guard. You’d been walking for what felt like hours through various doors of your past. All filled with some form of pain, guilt, and dread, you had to endure. Much like this one. “Hi.”

Bob’s shoulders dropped when he realized that it was really you. You curled in on yourself as five suited figures stared back at you. All curious, all wondering the same thing, like how the hell you’d end up here with all of them.

“Y/n…” Bob called out your name as though it made it all the more real. “I’m dreaming. I must be dreaming.” He shook his head as you grew closer.

“If you’re here, then…you weren’t dead when I found you.” Yelena was taken by her realization. Your pulse had been nonexistent when she checked. Now you stood amongst them, facing your own demons like theirs in the void. “You were dead.” She stated. "I felt no pulse. They beat the shit out of you."

You nodded, peering up at the blonde, lifting your chin, which was facing the ground. “They call it Tetrodotoxin B; it slows the heart to one beat per minute. It’s how I slowed Bob’s to trick them into thinking he didn't make it.” Your voice croaks, dread overconsumes you.

“She wanted me dead,” Bob states. "I thought she got you, too."

Your hands shake, tears falling past your waterline. You shake your head. An ache returns to the forefront of your mind, but it settles in your chest. “Valentina can eat shit. You can't take me down that easily." You shrug, a faint smile on your face. You were worn out.

"Y-You changed my memories." Bob's bottom lip trembled. "Could you do that all this time we were together? I never knew you could do that."

"Since I was fifteen, and I only altered it." You reassured. "Gave you a reality that wouldn't hurt as much to remember."

"The memory with Valentina holding a gun at you-"

"I gave it to you. It wasn't real, but keeping us apart was real. Her sending her men to beat the shit out of me. Real. I'm good now." Your voice cracks with exhaustion.

"You told me you were, are you still, is that real?" You gathered what he was trying to ask in front of the others. Your own dam broke. You begin to shake your head no.

"No." You mutter. "I'm not pregnant. What you saw was an altered memory of my mother and father."

"Oh."

"Yeah..."

"What are you?" Ava speculated.

"My mom's lab rat." That was all you gave them. You didn't want to pursue the memory of her in whatever this place was. "Gone wrong..."

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" You look over to Bob.

“I thought I was protecting you…I didn't want to add on to here.” Your voice cracks, lightly tapping his temple. “I can give anyone any memory, make them see something great or horrific rather than something they want to forget. I wasn't gifted with the ability to take away any of the bad ones, though.” You couldn’t stop the tears from falling. "Why would she do this to me? I can do something incredible, but it's flawed. It's good for a specific use, when it could be something greater." You push your arms outward in question. You pause before continuing, catching your breath. "She got them like she said she would, my family." Your voice cracks. "After she found out I knew you were alive, she made me watch. So now there's not much left for me to mourn over...but I'm damned if she tries to kill you.”

A curdle scream made you all flinch, four shots firing off, but two dead bodies dropping over, the telltale signs of your trauma. You peer at them, your brother, your mother. Numb to the sight, but the ache lingered like a burned-out candle.

“What is this place, Bob…?” You mutter as the gory imagery fades into another illusion. Yelena steps over to you, placing a steady hand around your forearms, pressing her head against yours gently. You look back at Bob, who stared at the spot where your mom and younger brother lay. Then he turned back to you. Reaching out for your touch.

"A void." Bob presses his nose into your hair for comfort. You lean into his embrace, comforted by the soft texture of his jumper. "Where'd you come from?"

"I don't know, Valentina threw me out onto the street. Thinking I could sway your void-self. Which I got to hand it to her, she had high expectations." You scoff. "I'm sure he took one look at me and well...here I am going through endless doors of hell." You laugh at your own predicament.

"How dare he..." Bob's gaze softens. “I would’ve left you alone.” He muttered, holding onto you in a way he had been deprived of for months. You let a soft chuckle escape your lips as you buried your face in his chest, soaking up the heat that radiated off of him. The steady beating of his heart was a sound you’d heard plenty of times before, but you took the time to appreciate it anyway. You feel his lips place a soft kiss down on top of your head, melting away your burdens.

"I know you would've." You peer up at Bob, but he doesn't meet your gaze. Instead, he stared dead ahead, glaring at the empty void that now presented itself before you all. The others exchanged uneasy looks. "Bob?" You called out softly, but he remains still. You finally glanced around. "This is the lab..." You push back from him. Your gaze settles on your workstation. Moments, flashes of laughter, and grunts of frustration are displayed like a broken record.

"He's not gonna come back, is he?" A timid-natured Bob looks back towards the entryway. Then settles his gaze on you. He reaches forward to fix the collar of your lab coat.

"No. He's out for a bit. You can relax."

"Hey, Y/n-"

"Mhm." You're writing something in your notebook.

"If it doesn't work out tomorrow-"

"It will!" You turn, facing him, to calm his worries.

"Y-You don't know that. I mean, anything could go wrong. Surely something is going to go wrong-"

"I do." You nod, but you sound uncertain.

"It's okay if it doesn't. I know you've always had my best interests. You've been there for me when no one else has. It's okay if the procedure doesn't go the way you want it to."

"No, I don't think it will be. Okay, I mean. I don't know if anything will ever be fine again if it doesn't work."

You step closer to the limited fond memory. Another flash appears before the previously existing one fades.

"Will it hurt?"

You tilted your head at the sight of yourself, first meeting him.

"No. You shouldn't feel a thing. It’s just got a bit of a sting, more like a poke. H-Have you ever pricked your finger on something? Maybe a splinter stuck in your skin. A needle point, maybe even a-"

"Does a slap count as a sting?"

"Oh...Um, I-I suppose it could, but trust me when I say it won't feel as bad as-" You gasped as you stumbled into the bed's edge, he sat perched on.

"Dr Y/L/N?" Your eyes rolled to the back of your head before you fell to the ground. Bob panicked as he lurched forward in an attempt to save you from your head crashing against the hard, cold floor.

"H-Help! Can someone help! S-She needs help in here!" Bob cradled you in his arms, calling out to any listening ears, before he was dragged into your memories.

"I've been here already," Yelena tilts her head.

You shift your attention, being drawn towards the eerie figure sitting on the bed.

"This is where it all started. I was roaming around Southeast Asia, thought I'd figure something out, or at least find more drugs." You step with Bob as he cautiously tells his story. "Then there's this guy. He started talking to me about a medical study. A trial drug that can make me stronger. I met Y/n shortly after that. It felt like a miracle...I'd finally get to show everyone that I was more. That I was something."

"And look what you unleashed." The void spoke. His head lifted as he got up to round the bed. "The most shameful thing of all was thinking you could be anything more than nothing."

"We're leaving." Yelena straightened her back as she stood before the Void.

"...No."

Before you knew it, your air circulation was being prevented as you fell to your knees before the dark figure.

Yelena made a beeline for you, only to get thrown back with Alexei. The rest of the group followed your demise. Wrapping them in metal and wires against your work stations and the back wall.

Void chuckled under his breath as he lifted his gaze to meet your eyes, locking you in place. “You thought I’d show you mercy? You limited us. Fed us false hope. Love is weak. Why should we spare you? You don't care about him. You don't accept this part of him. Bob and I will remain alone.” He taunted, gripping tighter, forcing your windpipe shut. You watched helplessly as you were thrown around like a ragdoll, then fell a few feet from Bob, still grasping for air as you clutched at your neck, tears welling up in your eyes. No one there to soothe you.

Bob watched in stunned horror. He couldn't move, but you saw his body tense, fight response kicking in.

"D-Don't listen t-to him, Bob- please!" You rasp out in labored breaths.

The mention of his name snaps him out of his stance. He focuses his attention on you. Worry was a clear indicator across his eyes, but he stood his ground in front of the Void. Moving his body to block his view of you.

"Stop. J-Just let them go." Bob pleaded.

"You think they care about you? You don't matter. To anyone." The Void replied, his tone sounding smug.

"That's not true-ugh!" Yelena's protests of pain were emitted out loud. A wire tightened around her neck

"We do care about him-argh!" You exclaim, an immense pain pulsing in the center of your chest. You choke back on air, raising a hand to your chest, grabbing at the sting that settled in it. Your body gave up as you fell to your side slowly.

"Don't hurt her..." Bob responded. "We don't hurt her."

"She won't last." The Void, not done hazing the group, pushed glass particles towards all of you. A few miniature cuts were caused by the sharp pieces. "Robert the hero." He chuckled darkly.

To instigate him further, he felt the need to forcefully pull you towards him. He gave you a moment's worth of rest before his shadowed hand gripped itself around your neck. Lifting you off the ground five inches. You grasped at them, trying to pry them off you.

"Let her go."

"No." The Void pulled you closer to him. Its shadowed demeanor added to the fear you felt when you pushed against it. The two orbs for eyes did nothing but unsettle you. He leaned in, pressing his nose against your temple much like Bob had done earlier in a comforting manner.

Bob stepped forward, squaring his shoulders like a lion guarding its territory. "I'm stronger than you."

"Let's see." He tilted his head. Then he was shoving you onto the ground beside Bob in a split second

It didn't take Bob long to rush at him. You slumped onto your side. Your head resting against the cold ground. Your energy was drained as you tried to regain oxygen in your system. "N-No."

Void and he went at it for a few seconds. Punching, dodging. Though Void got the upper hand as Bob was sent to the floor.

"Get up, Bobby!" John encouraged.

"You thought you were gonna be some great man. Some savior." Void mocked him, Bob slowly pushing himself off the floor. "You can't even save yourself." Bob lurched forward again. Until he received multiple punches to his gut. Void threw in a good lick across his jaw before he sent him to the ground once more.

"Bob, get up...get up." Your outcry made him meet your gaze.

"We will always be alone."

If you didn't think it couldn't get worse, you were wrong, as the room expanded. Increasing the distance between you all and Bob. Out of reach.

Bob pushed up a bit, glancing at each one of you, before he made up his mind. Turning to run, to tackle Void to the ground. The ongoing right and left hooks never ended as the room began to shake and tear itself apart.

"This isn't right." Bucky shook his head.

"Bob, stop!" Yelena called out.

"It's taking over him again..." You close your eyes, feeling lightheaded. You peer down at your side, your hand pressing into your abdomen, pulling it back to take in your red-coated palm. You were bleeding. Void's manacled laughter growing as Bob continued punching the shit out of him, did not easing your worries. "T-This is what he wants..." You mutter to the rest of them before your vision grows foggy.

"Y/n?" Bucky tries to push against the light protector wrapped around him. "Hey, kid!" Bucky grunts.

With all his strength left, Alexei freed Yelena. She made a run for it. Towards Bob. Your vision gives as the last thing you see is her wrapping her arms around him.

[muniimyg]

BED CHEM // JJK

♡ extra: manifest that you're oversized

series m.list // taglist unavailable

warnings: smol argument (slight angst), jk and oc ignore each other for a few days,,, smut ! somewhat virgin au... jk guides oc and oc is unsure but curious the entire time !!! very domestic of them :') ,,, jk eats her out, jk lives out a fantasy and face fucks oc, oc tries cowgirl for the first time & jk takes over in the end lol. raw sex, both of them orgasm & get all mushy in the end <3

note: oh my gawd this smut took me so long to write . tmi one of the side effects of my meds is a lower sex drive so i haven't been in the headspace for this ,, i'm so happy i got around to it. obviously it's not perfect or even close to what i envisioned for them ,, but i also think that's what makes them so hehe haha .

enj !

//

tuesdays are never good. 

jungkook decided this a long time ago. tuesdays are always the busiest—the most inconvenient and the longest. worst of all, with all of tuesday’s chaos—it means no you. 

that’s what jungkook hates the most. 

days without you. 

but today is an anomaly.

a breath above water.

a break.

his lab professor extended their assignment deadline. his afternoon class got canceled. shit, jungkook even hit a new personal record at the gym. 

not to mention that the weather isn’t miserable. for once, april isn’t pouring rain. instead, the sky is blue and the sunshines almost as brightly as you. currently, he’s on his way to surprise you with a matcha latte from your favorite cafe. which, was difficult for him to do. 

“one iced matcha with oat milk and less ice please.” 

god, it sounded so insufferable coming from his mouth… but it’s whatever. he’d do anything for you. you two have been together for almost one year and he’s utterly in love with you… he just hasn’t said it yet. 

you talked about it every now and then… how your favourite moments with him are the ones where he initiates seeing you. ever since you verbalized that, he’s been keeping a list of random things he could do in his notes app. though it’s a small act, getting you a surprise matcha is on the top of his list. 

your class should be ending right about now.

he timed his matcha gesture perfectly. 

and it is, because just as he rounds the corner, he sees you walking out of the building. surrounded by a group of people. jungkook snickers under his breath. of course. you’d never just walk out alone like a normal person. you always have an entire entourage.

as everyone disperses, he reaches for his phone.

nerd [11:45AM]: so popular nerd [11:45AM]: u have time for ur bf or what ? yn [11:47AM]: it’s tuesday :(  yn [11:48AM]: tuesday takes my handsome man away </3  nerd [11:48AM]: not today. i fought a few dragons, sailed across the 7 seas and crawled my way to u n shit  yn [11:49AM]: HAHAHAA yn [11:49AM]: wtf are u on  yn [11:49AM]: i’ll call u tn. focus on ur day. miss u :p  nerd [11:48AM]: turn around dummy  seen

he watches as you put your phone away and stretch your neck, scanning the area for him.

jungkook’s chest swells. but before your eyes land on him, someone else beats him to you. some guy—who jungkook assumes is a classmate—runs up from behind, surprising you.

you let out a playful scream, throwing your arms up as the guy engulfs you in a hug. and then—fucking then—he lifts you off the ground and twirls you around.

right then and there, jungkook feels his blood pressure skyrocket. irritation creeps up his spine, jealousy curling in his chest like a tightening fist. the guy sets you down, and you scan the area again. this time, your eyes find his. you brighten, beaming at him, and then—you point. 

to him. 

to jungkook. 

your boyfriend. 

and the guy follows your gaze, lifting a hand in acknowledgment. jungkook barely raises a hand back. 

half-assed. 

dismissive. 

unimpressed.

then, as if his patience wasn’t already paper-thin, the guy pulls you in for another hug before saying goodbye. jungkook rolls his eyes as you do this. just as he shifts his feet to close the distance, you’re already halfway to him.

you tilt your head, pouting. 

“hi baby—oh my god. is that for me?”

his gaze flickers to the iced matcha latte in his hand. 

then back to you.

before he can answer, you’re already leaning in, wrapping your lips around the straw and taking a long sip—right from the drink he’s still holding. he watches as your throat bobs, as you hum in satisfaction, as your fingers brush against his wrist.

without a word, he reaches over, slipping the tote bag off your shoulder and swinging it over his own. it’s muscle memory at this point. second nature, the way he carries your things like they’re his.

you tiptoe, pressing a kiss to his cheek. he turns at the last second, catching your lips instead. you giggle, and like always, your fingers intertwine with his, your free hand still gripping the matcha latte. 

suddenly and then all at once, jungkook can’t help but notice how pretty you are. 

just like that, his mood begins to fade. 

“how was class?”

“boring.” you frown. “i hate elective classes. they’re so extra for no reason. aren’t they supposed to be gpa boosters? what the heck are they doing assigning me exams and group projects? it’s painful.”

“it may be painful, but that doesn’t give you the excuse to be attempting to sext me during class.”

you glare at him. 

“it’s really annoying that you’re a nerd and actually care about my learning.”

“right,” he huffs. “i’m a shitty boyfriend.”

“you are,” you agree easily.

silence follows. 

but it’s not uncomfortable.

after a beat, you exhale. “oh, the guy earlier—he’s my first friend from first year. he just transferred, and his transcript has been all over the place. but he just found out his credits got accepted, so he doesn’t have to retake a class. fuck, i’ve been stressing for him all week.”

jungkook glances at you, voice softer now. “you shouldn’t stress over things that aren’t yours to stress about.”

“but he’s my friend. am i not allowed to care—”

“that’s not what i meant,” he interrupts, shaking his head. “you know that.”

you hold his gaze, the fight dying in your throat. you let it go.

“also…” you hesitate. “he invited me to his party on saturday. it’s a costume party.”

jungkook scoffs, rolling his eyes. “who throws a costume party in the middle of april?”

“the entire class is going.”

“okay,” jungkook says with a plain tone. “so what?”

“what do you mean so what?” you huff, stopping in your tracks to face him. “what’s with your mood?”

jungkook clenches his jaw. he doesn’t know. today was good—until he saw that guy hug you. “i don’t know,” he exhales. “sorry, baby. i didn’t mean to—”

“forgiven.”

he blinks. “that easy?”

“yes, because you’re coming to the party and you’re dressing up.”

he scoffs. “no, i’m not.”

“yes, you are.”

“i don’t do costumes.”

“well, you do now.”

he exhales sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. “babe—”

“don’t babe me.”

“i have a meeting with the dean about the marine conservation club and our potential donners. i’m not going to that stupid party and i was hoping you’d accompany me to my thing.”

you pause. 

“you decided that for me?” you ask. 

jungkook sighs. “i never said that. i said i was hoping you’d accompany me.”

“but you can decide right off the bat that you aren’t going to my thing because it’s not your crowd and it’s not important to you.” 

he stares at you. 

you glare at him. “newsflash, jungkook… i don’t give a shit about dolphins, but i do care about you. but there’s no way i’m going to your meeting with the dean to be your arm candy if you’re acting like this over a harmless costume party—” 

“that’s hosted by some guy who clearly wants to fuck you.”

his words come out faster than his thoughts to filter them. he knows how you’re going to react. he knows he’s digging himself a grave right now… but a part of him doesn’t care. he’s upset. he should have the right to express his feelings and the reality of the situation. 

your mouth falls open. 

“what?”

he huffs a humorless laugh. “come on, baby… you really don’t see it?”

“see what?” you furrow your brows. 

“he’s into you.”

you stare at him, brows furrowing. “jungkook, he’s my friend.”

“yeah? and how many of your ‘friends’ have tried to get with you? be honest with me… he at least had a thing for you, didn’t he?”

anger rises in your chest. “that’s not fair.”

“what isn’t fair? the truth?”

you gawk at him. “so what, you don’t trust me?”

“of course i trust you.” jungkook exhales sharply, looking away. he’s beyond frustrated at this point… and so are you. “i just don’t trust him.”

“holy shit, jungkook.” you shake your head, throwing your hands up. “it’s just a party. you’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

he doesn’t respond, jaw set, eyes fixed on the pavement.

“it’s stupid,” he breathes. “i’m not going. i don’t want you to go either, if i’m being completely honest.”

your face drops. 

you don’t mind the honesty… you hate the audacity. 

“you know what?” you walk forward and turn to him. with a final defeated breath, you tell him; “text me when you pick me over your stupid dolphins.”

then, just like that, you turn on your heel and walk away, leaving him standing there, fists clenched at his sides. jungkook watches as you shove the matcha latte into the nearest trash bin and storm off towards the direction of your home. 

his feet feel glued to the ground for some reason. 

the rational thing to do is run after you, apologize, and make up with you… but instead, he sulks. jungkook turns the other direction, choosing to be a complete idiot.

you don’t text him that night. 

you don’t call him the next morning, either.

jungkook doesn’t reach out, but you catch him viewing your stories, and liking your tiktok reposts. 

he lingers closely when you hang out with the guys throughout the week. like maybe he’ll say something. like maybe he’ll tap your shoulder and ask if you still want him to come. but he doesn’t.

you bump into him around campus once. 

you pass each other—his eyes flick to yours, but you look past him. not out of malice. you just don’t have the energy for his half-hearted apologies or defensive silences. you don’t want him to say sorry because you asked him to. you want him to say sorry because he means it. 

when thursday passes with no message, you wonder if he’s really not coming.

you wonder if he’ll just let this linger, like it doesn’t matter.

you go shopping with your friends on friday. pick out a costume that’s just silly enough to make you feel like yourself. 

then it’s saturday.

and you still haven’t heard from him.

the party is lame. 

you hate to admit it, but maybe jungkook was right. costumes in the middle of spring? it just doesn’t feel right. regardless, you're laughing at a story you’re only half-listening to.

you’re having fun. 

you swear.

you’ve been having fun for the past two hours. smiling, mingling, keeping the energy light… but your phone’s screen is a little too smudged from checking it every ten minutes.

no texts.

you open instagram. he watched your story.

you close it again.

you’re mid-sip when someone bumps your side—not too hard, just enough to jostle the drink. you turn instinctively, lips parting to apologize, when you see him.

jungkook.

in his marine conservation blazer, white shirt crisp under the low light. tie loosened, hair pushed back like he’s been running his hand through it all night.

and on his head?

tiger ears.

he doesn’t say anything at first. just stands there beside you like he’s been there the whole time. then he glances down at you, voice low and casual.

“you waiting for your shitty boyfriend to text you?”

you blink at him.

“you’re a tiger.”

he nods. “roar.”

you snort. “do they even roar?”

he rolls his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching like he’s trying not to smile. then he shifts, turning to face you properly. his hands find your waist without question, like that’s still his place. like you’re still his.

his voice softens. 

“they roar. and they say sorry.”

you look at him.

"sorry," he adds. his brows are furrow just a little, like he means it. like he’s been thinking about it all night. like the headband was his way of saying i miss you in the dumbest way possible.

you reach up, adjust one of the ears so it’s standing upright again.

“well... you look stupid.”

“you like it.”

“unfortunately.”

he presses his forehead to yours, sighs quietly. you glance at the headband again, then back at him. he’s fidgeting with the sleeves of his shirt, refusing to meet your eyes. for once, jungkook looks nervous. 

you soften.

“you didn’t have to come. we would've worked it out regardless.”

“i know,” he says quietly. “and i would’ve been here faster but the dolphins…”

“those damn dolphins,” you laugh. 

he joins you. 

then, a beat.

then he lifts his gaze, eyes meeting yours for the first time in days.

“i wanted to come,” he confesses. “i want to be wherever you are.”

and just like that, the fight breaks into dust.

you step closer, close enough to touch. your hand brushes his. he doesn’t move, but his pinky curls around yours like muscle memory.

you don’t talk about the argument. you don’t ask if he’s sorry. you don’t need to.

you lean in, voice lower now.

“one dance. and then we go.”

he rolls his eyes, but there’s the faintest smile tugging at his lips. “just one?”

“two.”

“three.”

the door clicks shut behind you.

you kick your shoes off with more force than necessary and drop your bag somewhere near the wall. jungkook follows behind, slower, undoing the top button of his shirt as he steps inside.

the silence isn’t uncomfortable. just thick. waiting to be cut. so here you two are—ripping the bandaid off.

you turn to face him.

“you were a dick.”

he nods. “i know.”

“and jealous. for no reason.”

another nod. “i know that, too.”

you cross your arms. “so?”

“so…” he sighs, tugging at the sleeve of his shirt like he needs something to fidget with. “i got in my head. and then i got mad about being in my head. and then i made it your problem. i'm sorry i said all that. but also, i don't think i'm wrong to feel intimidated by him. he's someone from your past.”

you watch him. you don’t say anything.

he finally meets your gaze.

“i trust you,” he says, voice quieter now. “i do. i just… get scared sometimes. that someone else will be better. smarter. funnier. more patient with me when i’m acting like a five-year-old.”

you blink at him. “you’re not five.”

he snorts under his breath.

“you’re like… seven. max.”

he huffs a small laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing just a bit.

“i should have considered why it could have made you feel uncomfortable. shit, you gave up tutoring just because for me... although you could have said it in a nicer way, i understand where you were coming from... and not to mention... you’re the smartest person i know,” you say with no hesitation. “i’ve never met a bigger nerd than you. i wouldn't worry about me dumping you for an even bigger nerd. don't think i could handle more nerdology behaviour.”

jungkook cracks a smile.

still, he huffs in frustration and tsks. “i… i just didn’t want to lose you over something dumb. i hate messing things up with you,” he murmurs.

you step toward him, hands slipping under his blazer, palms resting against his chest. 

“you aren't messing anything up.”

his hand covers yours. his eyes flick between yours.

“i'm really trying, ___. i swear.”

you nod, smiling sweetly at him. “you did good tonight.”

“the ears?”

“the ears.” you smile. “very charming.”

he leans in slightly, voice lower. “wanna pet me?”

“maybe later.”

jungkook rolls his eyes before dipping his head low. he kisses you for the first time in so long and literally feels his heartache dissolve. you reach over his neck and kiss him with more passion. then, when you pull away, you murmur; “i’m sorry i wasn’t very patient. can you and the dolphins ever forgive me?”

“forgiven.”

kiss. 

“that easy?”

kiss. 

“you’re too pretty to stay mad at.”

jungkook is laid back against his pillows, hands planted lightly on your thighs like he’s not sure if he’s allowed to grip you tighter yet.

you’re straddling his lap, your fingers curled into the open collar of his shirt, your lips pressed to his like you’re trying to memorize the shape of him again. like you need him to know: i missed you.

his mouth moves under yours—eager, but letting you set the rhythm.

you pull back just a little, your breath shallow. “we were really mad at each other. didn’t even text.”

his eyes open slowly. “yeah,” he murmurs. “i hated it.”

you lean down, kissing the corner of his mouth. “me too.”

before he knows it, your fingers make their way to the buttons of his shirt. you begin to unbutton them, one by one. his breath shakes. this is only the third time you two have ever had sex… the first time you’ve ever initiated it, too. the first few times you two have had sex, it’s always been a little slow and soft. he’s always been sure to make it as easy as possible for you because, in your words, it feels weird. 

you like it, of course. 

it’s just different. losing your virginity recently to him is a completely new experience. in all honesty, he’s done everything right so far. jungkook is always so gentle and caring. but something about the way you look at him right now tells him that maybe… tonight that isn’t what you want. maybe, you don’t want gentle. 

you want him… 

hard. messy. hot. 

“can you take this off?”

jungkook freezes. 

then, his hand slides up your waist, thumb brushing under your shirt. “you’re sure? we don’t have to.”

he wants you to be sure. he wants you to know that sex is always in your control and that you get to have it your way. to finish your way… to start? this is new. it makes him nervous too… but excited more than ever. 

your reply is barely a whisper. 

“kiss me again.”

and so he does. 

slower this time. 

deeper. 

one hand cups the back of your head, the other squeezing your hip like he’s finally letting himself touch you the way he wants to. the kiss grows hotter, messier—your teeth graze his lip, and he exhales a shaky breath through his nose like he’s barely holding it together.

“fuck,” he whispers. “missed you so much.”

you smile against his mouth. “good.”

jungkook is buried between your legs. 

he kisses your thighs slowly, slightly lifting his head up for air. then, he reaches over to your hips and palms them, pressing some pressure. without warning, he dips his head low and begins to eat you out again. 

his tongue flickers back and forth, fast and messy. he digs his nose in as he sucks your clit and pulls away. he takes his time, flattening his tongue against your clit. your toes curl, your head throws back, and your stomach tightens as the feeling. 

“d-don’t laugh at m-me, okay?” you stutter.

he lifts his head. 

“what’s wrong?”

“i… i t-think i might pee,” you pant. “i don’t wanna pee.”

jungkook chuckles, not mocking, just warmly. 

“you’re not gonna. promise.”

your eyebrows furrow. “but what if i do? that’s so gross.”

“do you want me to stop?”

you nod. 

“sorry.”

jungkook shakes his head and reaches over to kiss your forehead. “don’t apologize. let’s do what you want and what makes you feel good, okay?”

you swallow. 

“w-what do you wanna do?” you ask him shyly. jungkook breathes you in, resting hs body on top of yours. like second nature, you wrap your arms around him and hold him close. he trails kisses on your neck as you murmur; “i wanna do something for you too.” 

he smiles against your skin. 

“we don’t have to do anything,” he tells you honestly. “we can just go to sleep—”

“do you wanna fuck my face?”

his breath hitches. 

“uhm…” jungkook shifts and chases your eyes. you stare into his eyes and smile warmly. “w-what?”

you shrug. 

“i wanna try it,” you confess. “and you mentioned it once jokingly… why not, right?” 

he blinks at you. 

before he can register this, you shift and slide lower down the bed. he lifts his body, following your lead and positioning himself. jungkook kneels over you, straddling your chest. his knees are on either side of your body with one hand on the headboard for balance… the other cradles your cheek, thumb swiping your puffy lips. 

“if it’s too much—”

“i wanna take it,” you pout. “manifested for you to be oversized. this is me facing my consequence.” 

that’s all it takes 

as jungkook tilts his head with a playful smirk, he shoves his heavy cock inside your pretty mouth. he shifts his hips forward slowly, sinking himself deeper inside your mouth. 

“too deep?” he asks, fingers brushing your hair back. 

you shake your head, eyes watery but committed. 

shakily, he lets out a deep and wrecked groan. he drags his cock out, bringing the tip to your lips to play with. you swirl your tongue around it, playing with his slit. he inhales sharply before you part your lips for him to thrust himself back in again. jungkook then slides his hand to cup the back of your head, lifting you just a bit for a better angle. the slight move causes you to gag around him. 

his stomach sinks. 

he pauses instantly. 

“you okay?”

you blink twice at him and begin to suck him off. jungkook throws his head back, moving in slow and shallow thrusts. he tests the waters, as the headboard begins to creak. 

“god,” he moans. “look at you, baby… taking me so well. i’m so fucking proud of you.”

then, his pace gets a little rougher. his hips roll forward with more intent, but his hand stays gentle on your head. he doesn’t force you to take more. when you moan around him, your nails begin to dig into his thighs. 

“shit—baby,” jungkook begins to lose his breath. “say something… gonna cum just like this.”

you pull off for air. 

“you can… if you want.”

jungkook hisses. “you can’t say shit like that.”

then, he leans over you, bracing both hands against the headboard now. he cages you in. his abs flex with each thrust, and the view of him above you—eyes wide, flushed chest heaving—is seared into your memory forever.

god, he’s so handsome. 

you keep your hands on his thighs, letting him set the pace. he watches you the entire time, making sure you’re doing okay. it backfires, though because all he can notice is how your mouth stretches around him. how your eyebrows furrow and how your eyes flutter shut like you enjoy this.

spoiler: you do enjoy this. 

then, he feels his body tighten. 

he knows the feeling all too well. 

without warning, he pulls himself out and with a groan—drops down to kiss you. 

“gonna stop,” he pants. “gotta be inside you when i finish.”

you let out a laugh against his lips. “okay,” you agree. “want you to finish inside me too.” 

with that, you feel your legs tremble when he pulls you upright. he kisses you slow and settles back against the pillows. his cock is angry, twitching between his thighs. jungkook pulls you into his lap. 

you hesitate a little, as you swing a leg over. your knees rest on either sides of him. his eyes flicker to the way your hands hover above his chest. you look unsure… but also desperate. he can’t fight with that. 

“what do you wanna do?” he asks gently, fingers tracing your thighs. 

“wanna ride you,” you say shyly. “like cowgirl… b-but—”

“you don’t know how?”

“i’m gonna look stupid.”

he rolls his eyes at you. “not possible.”

jungkook leans in, pressing his lips to your shoulder. “take your time with it. you’re in control. i’ll help you figure it out, okay? do what you want. i’m all yours, baby.”

with that, he lies back as you grab the base of his cock rather awkwardly. you lower yourself down slowly. sinking inch by inch, you gasp. 

“sorry—”

“don’t apologize,” he reassures you, as he reaches over and helps you line himself up. “here, like this.”

jungkook holds himself still while you slowly sink down. your hands are planted on his chest, steadying yourself. he groans as he feels your tight pussy clench. his hands grip your hips tightly. you let out a shaky breath in response. 

you both pause when once you realize you’ve taken him in fully. 

you catch your breath as his hands soothe up and down your sides. 

“f-fuck.”

“you okay?”

“yeah,” you nod, taking a deep breath in. “just… big.”

jungkook chuckles, leaning in for a kiss. “your fault.”

you let out a small laugh as he rubs circles on your hips. you adjust, locking eyes with his. 

“should i move now?”

he blinks at you. “yeah. try rocking your hips. you don’t have to bounce or anything—just move how you feel.”

you nod and try it.

it’s awkward at first, but his hands guide you. soon enough, you’re rolling your hips against his. the slow grind of your bodies both make you moan. you feel his cock harden inside you, and the sharpness is something you never expected to love so much. it feels so good. jungkook’s head lolls forward, kissing your breasts and then your neck. 

he’s breathless. 

“that’s it,” he praises. “good girl… you’re so perfect, baby.”

you lean in to kiss him. then, you pick up your pace. you roll your hips forward, grinding and humping him however your body wants to. he’s biting his bottom lip as your movements quicken and you begin to feel tingling in the pit of your stomach. you chase the feeling by riding him harder. soon, you begin to let out breathey moans. 

“ohh,” you almost cry. “f-fuck. oh my god…” 

“that’s it,” jungkook moans. “shit. just like that.”

you fuck him harder. 

jungkook slaps your ass and you let out a whimper. as you two fuck, you begin to feel the pressure of it all weigh in on you. for some reason, as you look at him, you can’t help but pant and want more of this insane feeling. 

“look at you,” he hisses. “you’re doing it, baby. fuck. you’re riding me.”

before you know it, you’re whimpering. 

your grinding gets lazier but the high is still there. you’re out of breath, sweaty and tired. you’re still moving in his lap, but your thighs are burning. he looks up at you like he’s never seen anything more beautiful. 

(he hasn’t)

“you okay?”

you give him a small breathless nod. even before you tell him with words, jungkook pulls himself out and reaches over to you. he checks in you. 

“everything okay?”

again, you nod but your rhythm falters. your legs shake a little as you try to lift yourself and sink again. you whimper, frusterated at yourself. 

“sorry—”

“hey,” jungkook murmurs, quickly sitting up. he kisses your forehead. “you’re doing so good. nothing to be sorry about.”

“i think my legs are giving out,” you murmur, nuzzling into the side of his neck. “but don’t wanna stop.”

he chuckles, running his hands up and down your back. jungkook kisses your jaw. “lay back for me?”

before you can even answer, he shifts—scooping an arm under your knees and the other behind your back, rolling the both of you with practiced ease until you’re lying against his chest, back to his front.

“this okay?” he asks, lips brushing your ear. 

you nod quickly, already breathless as he hooks your thighs over his, keeping you wide open while he stays deep inside you. his arms wrap around your middle, pulling you in tighter, grounding you completely.

he starts to thrust again—slow, deep rolls of his hips that push into you from underneath, the angle making you whimper. your head tilts back onto his shoulder, eyes fluttering shut as you melt into him, letting him do the work.

jungkook fucks you like this for a while. you focus on your breathing and the feeling of him inside you. all your thoughts and efforts crumble when he places his hand over your pussy and begins to play with your clit. 

“j-jungkook… i can’t—”

“you can.”

“i’m gonna—nghhh…. oh my g-god. jungkook!” 

your body starts to tremble, back pressed flush against his chest, every nerve ending alive as he keeps grinding into you from beneath.

his arms stay locked around your waist, one hand splayed over your stomach, holding you still while the other toys with your clit—soft, steady strokes that match the rhythm of his hips.

“fuck—” you gasp. “jungkook—i think—i’m gonna—”

“i know, baby,” he whispers, his voice shaky but so sweet. “you’re close, yeah? it’s okay.”

his mouth is right at your ear, so gentle despite how deep he is inside you.

“breathe through it,” he hisses. “i feel your pussy tightening. you’re gonan cum soon and your instict is to hold your breath—don’t. i want you to breathe through it. want you to feel it all, okay? can you be a good girl and do that for me, baby?” 

you whimper. 

“uh... mhmmm... shit, shit, shit! nghh… i… i’ll try.”

jungkook fucks himself inside you deeper and harder. you hold your breath as you take him in, and then shut your eyes to exhale. 

you breathe through your nose, trying to focus on his request. 

and when you do—your body curling forward, a desperate whimper falling from your lips—he wraps you tighter in his arms, guiding you through it with slow, grounding thrusts, his hand not leaving your clit until you're twitching and whining from the overstimulation.

you cream his cock. 

“you’re so perfect,” he breathes, kissing the side of your neck. “you did so good for me. so fucking good.”

you’re still catching your breath when he carefully lifts you off, laying you back down on the pillows.

“you okay?” he asks, brushing your hair from your face.

you nod, dazed, your skin flushed and glowing. he kisses your forehead.

“gonna finish, yeah?” he whispers. “just wanna be close.”

and then he���s sliding back in—slow and deep—his body over yours, elbows tucked beside your head as he holds himself up just enough to look at you.

“feels so good,” he moans, dropping a kiss to your cheek. “so warm.”

your hands trail up his back, pulling him in. his movements are less frantic now, more like he’s savoring it—each roll of his hips drawn out, every kiss messy and sweet.

“look at me,” he whispers, foreheads touching. “wanna see you when i cum.”

and when he does—hips stuttering, a low groan leaving his throat—you kiss him through it, soft and open-mouthed, your fingers carding through his hair as he falls apart right there, with you.

his whole body trembles, but he doesn’t move—doesn’t leave. just stays wrapped around you, breathing hard, kissing your lips again and again like he doesn’t want to let you go.

just like that, jungkook cums inside you—filling your pussy up with every ounce of himself. 

you’re draped over him like a blanket, one leg tossed over his hips, face tucked into the crook of his neck. the room is quiet, save for the low hum of the fan and the slow, steady rhythm of your breathing as it evens out.

jungkook's fingers trace lazy shapes along your thigh, slow and thoughtless, like he’s just making sure you’re still there. still his. still real.

beside you, hello kitty stares from the edge of the bed. a little crooked. still wearing the ribbon he tied on her hours ago.

“you think she judged us?” you mumble against his collarbone.

his chest shakes with a quiet laugh.

“she was appalled. horrified, even.”

you snort.

“poor girl didn’t sign up for that.”

“we should apologize.” he suggests. “sorry, kitty.”

you giggle agaisnt his chest. then, you lift your face and say; “next time… i think the tiger ears should stay on.”

he stills, then looks down at you slowly—like you just said something criminal.

“what’s with you and props? if it’s not my glasses, it’s the tiger ears. what’s next? blindfolds and whips?”

“i’m dead serious.”

“oh, i know. that’s the scary part.”

you both dissolve into soft laughter, his fingers still moving along your bare skin. at some point, he tugs hello kitty into the covers, nestling her between your bodies like a little buffer. a witness, maybe. or a silent secret keeper.

your eyes flutter closed soon after. sleep is winning.

but jungkook stays awake a little longer. watches you. breathes you in.

and once he’s sure—sure your breathing is slow and even, sure you won’t catch him in the act—he leans down, presses a kiss to the crown of your head, and whispers against your skin like it’s sacred.

“___?” jungkook whispers, voice low and careful, like he’s scared of waking you.

he shifts a little, just enough to see your face in the soft lamplight. your lashes are fanned out across your cheeks, your lips slightly parted, breath slow and steady.

you don’t answer.

he watches you in silence. listens to the hush of the room and the tiny creak of the mattress as he adjusts his arm under your waist. your leg is still hooked over his hip, and your fingers rest gently on his chest—right over the spot where his heart is beating just a little too fast.

maybe you’re asleep. maybe you’re not.

but he takes the chance anyway.

he turns his head, nose brushing the side of yours. and with a kiss so soft it almost doesn’t land, he presses his mouth to your hairline.

“i’m so in love with you,” he breathes. not even a whisper—more like a confession carried on his last exhale. “i love you.”

you don’t move. don’t speak. don’t flinch or blink.

but your fingers twitch. just slightly.

and then they curl in, sinking into the fabric of his shirt. slow and gentle, like your body coudn’t help but respond before your mind caught up. like your heart heard him first.

jungkook’s eyes flutter close.

he doesn’t say anything else. doesn’t push or ask or even hope. he just sinks a little deeper into the sheets, into you, pulling you closer like maybe, if he holds you tight enough, the moment won’t break.

and you—still quiet, still pretending—feel everything.

the weight of his arm around you.

the warmth of his skin against yours. the truth of what he said lingering in the space between your bodies.

you don’t say it back.

not yet.

but you feel it, too. so, in your head you say it back. drifting to sleep, tangled with the love of your life—

i love you too. 

[verstappenverse]

Knight of My Heart

Pairing: Max Verstappen x Reader

Summary: After one too many drinks, a protective Max arrives right when you need him most.

1.7k words / Masterlist

It was nearly 2am when Max’s phone buzzed on his nightstand, dragging him from the edges of sleep. The faint light from his screen illuminated the dark room, and he reached for it with a groggy hand, squinting at the text that appeared.

“She’s drunk. Like realllly drunk. Can you come get her?”

Max sat up, his heart already sinking. The message was from one of your friends, someone whose name he only half-remembered from the countless times they’d insisted they’d “watch out for you.” Max knew better by now. He sighed, raking a hand through his messy hair, before throwing the sheets off and quickly pulling on a hoodie and jeans.

The drive to the club was quiet, but Max’s mind wasn’t. He hated these nights. It wasn’t just the thought of you being drunk and vulnerable, it was the idea that you were so carefree and beautiful, and people always noticed. Too many times Max had seen guys try to get too close, their smiles too slick and intentions too obvious.

When he finally pulled up outside the club he saw you almost immediately. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

You were leaning against a lamp post near the curb swaying slightly in your heels, a dazed smile on your face as a man hovered beside you. Max’s chest tightened at the sight. The guy was too close, his body angled toward yours as he spoke animatedly, gesturing with his hands. You laughed softly at whatever he said, your voice carrying over the low thrum of the music spilling from the club’s entrance.

Max killed the engine and climbed out, his jaw set. His strides were purposeful, closing the distance between you in seconds.

“Maxie!” you squealed the moment you spotted him, your arms flinging open in delight.

“You’re here!” you exclaimed, throwing your arms around his torso and nearly toppling yourself over in the process.

The guy looked over at Max, not at all intimidated, but Max didn’t care. His jaw tightened, his fists clenching by his sides as he stepped closer.

“You good?” Max asks you, his voice a little rougher than usual.

The man gave Max a once-over, clearly sizing him up. “She seems fine to me,” he said, his tone too casual for Max’s liking.

Max’s eyes narrowed, the jealousy coursing through him now unmistakable. He took a step closer to him. “Oh because you know her so well, right?” he asked the guy, voice clipped.

With a taunting smirk, the guy raised his hands in mock surrender. “She was just telling me about her night. She looked like she needed some company.”

Max wasn’t having it, he stands tall, his body blocking your view of the man now. “Right, I don’t think you understand,” Max replied dryly, placing a firm hand on your waist. “I’m her boyfriend, she's mine. Thanks for your concern, but I’ll take it from here.”

The man’s lips twitched, as though he wanted to argue, but something in Max’s gaze seemed to convince him otherwise. With a tight nod, he muttered a quick, “Whatever man,” and walked off into the crowd.

As the guy disappeared, Max’s frustration didn’t completely fade, but he focused right back on you. Guiding you towards his car, hand never leaving your side. You leaned into him, your cheek resting against his shoulder the alcohol making your limbs feel heavy.

You looked up at him, your face slightly flushed, your eyes half-lidded. “You okay?” you asked quietly.

Max’s lips press together tightly, trying to ignore the flare of jealousy still lingering. “I’m fine,” he said, even though he’s anything but. "Just... I want you to be safe alright?"

You nod, though your head wobbles slightly. "I know... just wanted to have some fun…long week."

Max exhaled slowly, his tension only easing slightly as he turned to you. You were beaming up at him, clearly oblivious to the small confrontation that had just unfolded.

“I get it,” he said softly, his hand steadying you at your waist. “But where are your friends?”

“They’re inside,” you mumbled, waving a hand vaguely toward the club entrance. “Or somewhere. I don’t know. I came out to get some air.”

Max sighed, scanning the area for any sign of your group. Just then a few of your friends emerged from the club giggling.

“Max!” One of them called her tone far too cheery. “She’s all yours.”

Max’s brows furrowed, his frustration bubbling over. “Why did you let her get this drunk?” he snapped. “Anything could’ve happened to her out here!”

Your friend blinked, her smile faltering. “She’s a big girl Max. Besides, we knew you’d come.”

“That’s not the point,” Max said, his voice sharp. "You should’ve made sure she was safe.”

Your friends exchanged glances mumbling something, he exhaled heavily running a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m glad you've all had fun, but next time just… watch out for her yeah? She’s very important to me.” He gazed down at you.

Your friends exchanged glances, some looking sheepish, others visibly annoyed at his tone.

“We had it under control Max,” one of your friends said, her tone defensive. “We weren’t going to babysit her all night.”

Max’s jaw clenched. “Being there for your friend isn’t babysitting, it’s just what you do.”

Another friend, the quieter one of the group spoke up “Okay Max. We’ll keep a better eye on her next time, promise.”

“Thank you,” he said simply, looking back down at you. Your eyes were half-closed, a lazy smile on your lips as you mumbled something unintelligible against his chest.

Max shook his head, a mix of exasperation and fondness crossing his face. “Alright,” he said to the group, his tone a little lighter now. “I’m taking her home. Get back safely.”

“We will,” the quieter friend said, giving him a small, apologetic smile.

Max turned to you with a sigh of relief. “Let’s get you home.”

Max guided you to the car, his hand never leaving your waist. You leaned into him heavily, giggling at every little thing, the way his hand steadied you, the low muttering under his breath, even the way he opened the car door for you like you were royalty.

“You’re so nice to me Maxie,” you said, settling into the passenger seat with a content sigh.

“I’m always nice to you,” he replied, pulling the seatbelt across your body and clicking it into place.

“You are,” you agreed, your voice soft and dreamy. “You’re my favourite person, you know that?”

Max froze for a moment, sure his heart skipped a beat, before he shook his head and closed your door.

The drive home was quiet, save for your occasional hums and mumbled comments about the pretty city lights. Max glanced at you every so often, his hand gripping your thigh, your eyes fluttering shut for brief moments.

When he finally pulled into his apartment’s parking garage you stirred, blinking sleepily. Inside you clung to him like a lifeline, your arms looped around his neck as he guided you to the bathroom.

“You’re so tall,” you murmured, your head resting against his chest. “Like a tree. A strong, handsome tree.”

Max chuckled despite himself, shaking his head as he set you down on the bathroom counter. “You’re ridiculous.”

“But you like me anyway,” you said, your grin lazy and smug.

He didn’t respond, instead reaching for a makeup remover wipe from the cabinet. You watched him curiously as he carefully cupped your chin, tilting your head up to meet his gaze.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

“Taking your makeup off,” he said simply.

You stared at him, your expression unreadable, as he carefully wiped at your face. His touch was gentle, almost reverent, as he avoided your eyes, focusing instead on the task at hand.

"You take such good care of me." You whispered, reaching up to touch his hand. “You don’t have to, you know?”

“I know,” he said with a slight frown, his eyes finally meeting yours. “But I want to. You deserve it.”

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Max carried you to the bedroom, letting you climb him like a koala as you giggled into his shoulder. He set you down gently, pulling the covers over you before crouching beside the bed. You blinked at him sleepily, a small smile tugging at your lips.

“You’re like a knight,” you mumbled, your voice thick with drowsiness. “My very own knight in shining armour.”

Max chuckled, shaking his head. “A very tired knight,” he replied, brushing a stray hair from your face. “But you’re going to hate me in the morning if I let you go to sleep without water and something for your hangover.”

“I don’t hate you,” you slurred, blinking up at him with glassy eyes. “I could never hate you.”

His chest tightened at the sincerity in your tone, “Stay awake for just a few more minutes okay? I’ll be right back.”

You made a soft noise of protest as he stood, but you didn’t try to stop him. Max moved quietly through the apartment, grabbing a glass from the kitchen and filling it with cold water. From the bathroom he grabbed a pack of paracetamol, the domesticity of the routine bringing a faint smile to his lips.

When he returned you were still half-propped against the pillows, your eyes fluttering open at the sound of his footsteps.

“Here,” Max said, sitting on the edge of the bed. He handed you the glass and pressed two pills into your palm. “Take these and drink some water. Trust me, you’ll thank me in the morning.”

You squinted at the pills like they’d personally offended you. “Do I have to?”

“Yes,” Max replied firmly, his lips quirking upward. “No arguments.”

“Bossy,” you muttered, but you popped the pills into your mouth and swallowed them with some water. “Happy now?”

“Very.”

You handed the glass back to him, and he set it on the nightstand before leaning forward to pull the blankets higher around you.

“I’m so lucky you’re my Maxie,” you sighed.

“Sleep,” he said softly, stroking your cheek.

“Stay,” you murmured, your eyes already half-closed.

Max hesitated, his heart twisting with adoration, before nodding. “I’ll be right here.”

[lunch-munch]

current girlfriend | fluff ʚɞ

warnings: none summary: you had seen that TikTok trend where you referred to your partner as your "current gf/bf" and wanted to test it on Billie to see her reaction hehe

You adjusted your phone against the stack of books on your dresser, making sure the lighting hit just right. You'd been putting together this outfit for twenty minutes—a vintage band tee tucked into high-waisted jeans, layered with rings and your favorite chunky sneakers.

"Okay, let's do this," you murmured to yourself, hitting record.

"Hey guys! So I'm obsessed with this look today," you said, stepping back to show the full outfit. You did a little spin, grinning at the camera. "The tee is thrifted, obviously, and these jeans are actually Billie's but don't tell her I stole them again."

From the other room came a muffled "I can hear you!" followed by Billie's distinctive laugh.

"Billie! Come show them your fit!" You called out, still filming.

A few seconds later, Billie appeared in the doorway, wearing an oversized dark green t-shirt, paired with basketball shorts and some slippers, cause we like to be cozy around here. Herblack hair was in a messy bun, and she had that slightly sleepy look since she had been working on music all morning.

"Dude, I look like I just rolled out of bed," Billie said, shuffling over with her hands buried deep in her shorts pockets.

"You always look good, shut up," you replied, then turned back to the camera with a bright smile. "And this is what my current girlfriend is wearing today."

Billie's head snapped up so fast you were surprised she didn't get whiplash. "Current?" she raised her eyebrows, giving you a sceptical look. "Current girlfriend?"

You kept your expression neutral, continuing to film. "Yeah, I love how oversized everything is on her. Very comfy, very Billie."

"Yo, hold up." Billie stepped closer, that little crease appearing between her eyebrows, and she shook her head slightly before giving you a look. "What do you mean current girlfriend? Like, as opposed to what? Your former girlfriend? Your future girlfriend?"

"I mean, you're my girlfriend currently, aren't you?" you said innocently, fighting back a smile.

Billie tilted her head. "I—yeah, but why are you saying it like that? Current?" She pulled her hands out of her shorts pockets, gesturing vaguely. "That's weird, dude."

"How else would I say it?" you asked, keeping your voice casual while still filming.

"I don't know, just... your girlfriend? Like normal? Seriously, what's with the 'current' thing? That sounds like I'm temporary or something." Billie said whilst continuing to study your face.

"It's fine," you said, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "Just showing off our fits."

Billie studied your face for another moment, then shrugged. "Okay, whatever. But yeah, I look like I just rolled out of bed compared to you." She gestured at your put-together outfit. "You always make me look like a slob."

"You look perfect," you said, and the genuine affection in her voice made Billie's cheeks pink slightly.

"Shut up," Billie mumbled, but she was smiling now. "Are you done filming? I want a smoothie."

"Alright, now me and my current girlfriend are going to make some smoothies" you repeated to the camera, fighting to keep your expression neutral.

Billie's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, now you're definitely being weird." She crossed her arms, studying your face intently. "Why do you keep saying it like that? Current, current, current—it's freaking me out a little."

Your mouth started twitching, fighting back a smile as you watched Billie get more worked up.

"Wait, are you laughing?" Billie stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "Babe, why are you trying not to laugh right now?"

"I'm not—" you pressed your lips together, but a small giggle escaped.

"Oh my god, you are!" Billie threw her hands up. "What is happening? Did I miss something? Why is this funny?"

That broke you completely. You doubled over laughing, phone shaking in your hands. "Your face! Oh my god, Billie!"

"What about my face?!" Billie looked genuinely bewildered now. "Bro, you're freaking me out. What did I do?"

"It's a prank," you managed between laughs. "It's this TikTok thing where you call your partner your 'current' boyfriend or girlfriend and film their reaction."

Billie stared at you for a solid three seconds. "Are you serious right now?"

"Dead serious," you said, finally catching your breath and stopping the recording.

"Dude." Billie ran both hands through her hair. "I was genuinely trying to figure out if I fucked up somehow. You're evil."

"But you love me anyway," you grinned.

"Unfortunately," Billie said, but she was smiling too. "Now you owe me a smoothie for emotional trauma."

AN: okay so I guess this is my debut haha

[mythvoiced]

-. between work and leisure i've had so many british (mostly english) voices in my ears today that my inner voice distinctly sounds like some sort of cross between J.ame.s A.ca.ster and R.ich.ard A.yoa.de now please free me

[mcrdvcks]

sparks fly (pt.2) ༉‧₊˚.

chapter summary: You were Bucky's neighbor while he was a congressman and staying in New York. When Valentina announces them as the New Avengers, Bucky and the team go with him to pack up his apartment. But then you show up, calling him "James." word count: 13.9k+ (26.3k+ in total) pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!reader notes: thank you to Thunderbolts* for reviving my bucky obsession. this is my first time writing for him, and i have a feeling my characterization is a little off, but just roll with it. also, i realized like halfway through writing that bucky as a congressman most likely lived in DC not NYC, so... let's just assume he also had a nice place in new york, okay? there are 2 parts to this oneshot, thanks to tumblr's word limit warnings/tags: the Thunderbolts are a happy family, fluff, like so much fluff, neighbor!reader, jessica jones, matt murdock, mentions of wilson fisk, references to season 3 of jessica jones, slight violence, slight angst, allusions to mental health struggles (depression and slight ptsd), slowwww burnnnn, protective!thunderbolts, this is part 2 - go read part 1

part 1

You were perched on one of the stools in the common area, scrolling idly through your phone, when the elevator chimed softly. Glancing up, you watched as two men stepped out, dressed casually—clearly comfortable here despite it being their first visit.

Bucky appeared almost instantly from the hallway, breaking into a rare, warm smile. “Sam.”

Sam grinned broadly, stepping forward to hug him briefly. “Good to see you, Buck.”

Bucky nodded, stepping back slightly. “Glad you could finally stop by.”

Sam looked around, impressed. “Place looks nice—bigger than I remember.”

Joaquín lingered nearby, smiling warmly at Bucky. “Hey, man. Been a while.”

“Joaquín,” Bucky greeted easily, shaking his hand. “Glad you came.”

Yelena and Ava stood near the kitchen, observing quietly. Alexei hovered curiously behind them, eyes bright with excitement. “Captain America!” Alexei boomed suddenly, making Sam turn in surprise. “It is honor to finally meet!”

Sam raised an amused eyebrow, shaking Alexei’s hand firmly. “Alexei, right?”

Alexei beamed proudly. “Correct! Red Guardian—at your service.”

Yelena rolled her eyes. “Relax, Alexei.”

Sam chuckled lightly, extending a hand toward Yelena. “Sam Wilson.”

She shook his hand briefly, expression guarded but polite. “Yelena Belova.”

Bucky turned slightly, catching sight of you lingering quietly by the counter. “Oh—Sam, Joaquín. This is Y/N. She lives here too.”

You stepped forward, offering a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you both.”

Sam shook your hand warmly. “Pleasure’s mine, Y/N.”

Joaquín smiled brightly, nodding. “Hey—nice to meet another normal person around here.”

You laughed softly. “Normal might be stretching it, but thanks.”

He chuckled, clearly at ease. “Trust me, compared to these guys, we're practically civilians.”

You smiled warmly. “Fair enough.”

John entered quietly, standing somewhat apart from the group, clearly hesitant. Sam’s gaze found him quickly, expression sobering slightly. “John.”

John gave a brief, cautious nod. “Sam.”

The tension was palpable. You glanced at Bucky, who was watching closely, clearly prepared to intervene if needed. Ava moved subtly nearer to John, arms crossed protectively. After a moment, Sam softened, offering John a small nod. “Good to see you doing better.”

John’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Bucky exhaled quietly, visibly relieved. He glanced at Sam again. “Let me give you two a quick tour.”

Joaquín turned to you, gesturing casually around. “So, what's it like living here?”

You smiled easily. “Honestly? It’s chaos, but it grows on you.”

He laughed. “I can imagine. At least you got some good tech around here, right?”

You grinned. “Definitely. The engineering lab they set up is incredible. State-of-the-art everything.”

Joaquín’s eyes lit up. “Seriously? I'd love to see that.”

You nodded enthusiastically. “I can show you.”

“Great,” Joaquín said eagerly. “Lead the way.”

As you walked toward the hallway, Bucky’s eyes lingered briefly on your retreating figures. Sam noticed his friend’s slightly tightened expression, raising an amused eyebrow. “Buck?”

Bucky glanced quickly away, feigning indifference. “What?”

Sam smirked knowingly. “Nothing. Just observing.”

Bucky sighed, gesturing down the hall. “Let’s just start the damn tour.”

Sam chuckled quietly, shaking his head as he followed. “Whatever you say.”

---

You led Joaquín into the lab, flipping the lights on as you stepped inside. “Wow,” Joaquín breathed, clearly impressed. “This is nice.”

“It’s pretty amazing,” you agreed, moving to the nearest workstation. “Not that anyone else here uses it much, but it’s great for me.”

He examined a few tools thoughtfully, smiling. “So, you’re an engineer? That’s gotta come in handy around here.”

“More than you'd think,” you said with a laugh. “Last week I resurrected a toaster, and now I’m officially Alexei’s hero.”

He grinned broadly. “I can believe that. You know, before I got wrapped up in all this, I was working on aircraft maintenance. Engineering’s kinda my thing too.”

Your expression brightened. “No kidding? Civilian or military?”

“Military,” he replied, leaning comfortably against the counter. “Air Force. Spent a lot of time with jets and tech. Now it’s mostly wings and drones.”

“That’s impressive,” you admitted, genuinely intrigued. “I’ve never worked on anything airborne. Mostly household electronics and some experimental stuff here and there.”

Joaquín tilted his head curiously. “Experimental? Sounds intriguing.”

You laughed quietly. “Less glamorous than it sounds. Usually just prototypes that don’t get funded.”

He shrugged lightly. “Still impressive. Honestly, it’s just nice to meet someone who gets it. Most people’s eyes glaze over when I start talking about aviation.”

“Oh, trust me, I get that,” you said dryly. “One mention of circuit diagrams and half the team finds an excuse to run.”

Joaquín chuckled. “Exactly.”

The lab door opened quietly behind you, and you turned slightly to see Bucky standing there, expression neutral. “Hey,” he said evenly, eyes flicking between the two of you. “Showing off the lab?”

You nodded brightly. “Yeah, Joaquín’s an engineer too. Aircraft tech.”

Joaquín smiled warmly. “Yeah. But your setup here puts my workshop to shame.”

Bucky nodded slowly. “Glad you like it.” A brief silence stretched slightly, Bucky’s gaze lingering thoughtfully between you both.

“Well,” Joaquín said easily, breaking the tension, “I should probably see where Sam wandered off to. Thanks for the tour, Y/N.”

“Anytime,” you said genuinely, smiling at him. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Joaquín said warmly, nodding politely at Bucky as he left.

Bucky lingered quietly near the door, eyes softening once you were alone. “You two get along well.”

You nodded, oblivious to his cautious tone. “Yeah, he's nice. It’s refreshing to talk to someone who understands tech.”

Bucky nodded slowly, stepping closer. “Right.”

You finally caught the subtle shift in his expression, raising your eyebrows curiously. “Something wrong?”

He hesitated, then sighed softly, shaking his head. “No. It’s nothing.”

“James,” you said gently, smiling softly, “you’re a terrible liar.”

His lips twitched faintly, reluctantly amused. “It’s just—I’m glad you’re comfortable here.”

“Of course I am,” you reassured quietly, gently touching his arm. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

He relaxed slightly under your touch, the tension leaving his shoulders. “Yeah. Just didn’t expect to feel so... territorial.”

You laughed softly, eyes warm. “Territorial?”

He rolled his eyes, smiling sheepishly. “Forget it.”

“No way,” you teased lightly, nudging him gently. “You’re jealous.”

He scoffed quietly, though his eyes softened with quiet affection. “Maybe a little cautious.”

“Relax, James,” you murmured softly. “I promise I won’t abandon you for someone else who likes circuit diagrams.”

He smiled faintly, shaking his head. “Thanks. Real reassuring.”

You laughed softly, leaning lightly against him. “Come on. Let’s go find the others before Alexei tries recruiting Sam into his toast cult.”

Bucky chuckled quietly, tension finally easing fully. “We should hurry, then. Sam’s terrible at saying no.”

You smiled warmly, gently guiding him out of the lab. “Lucky you’ve got me around, then.”

He glanced sideways at you, expression softening again. “Yeah. Lucky me.”

---

You were sitting cross-legged on the couch, sketching some circuit diagrams on your tablet when the lights suddenly flickered, dimmed, and then went dark. A second later, the backup power kicked in with soft emergency lighting. "What the hell?" Bucky muttered from the kitchen, already setting down his glass.

You sighed, setting your tablet aside. "Probably a power surge again."

Before you could move, a muffled pounding echoed down the hall, followed by Alexei’s voice booming loudly through the walls. "We are trapped! Someone save us!"

You exchanged a quick glance with Bucky, both instantly recognizing the voice. Bucky groaned quietly. "The elevator."

You grabbed your phone, hurrying down the hall with Bucky close behind. Ava and Yelena were already standing outside the stalled elevator doors, both looking equally unimpressed. "You two okay in there?" Ava asked calmly, arms crossed.

John’s annoyed voice came through clearly. "We’re fine, just stuck. Alexei is—"

"I am perfectly calm!" Alexei interrupted frantically. "No panic. Red Guardian does not panic."

Yelena rolled her eyes, clearly amused. "Sure sounds like panic."

"You are hearing wrong," Alexei said stubbornly. "I am calm. But maybe hurry. Very calm, though."

John sighed deeply, clearly losing patience. "Just get us out, please."

Ava exchanged an amused glance with Yelena, smirking faintly. "Tempting to leave them in there, honestly. Might finally get some peace and quiet."

"Do not even joke!" Alexei shouted, banging the elevator doors again. "Yelena, let us out right now!"

Yelena raised her eyebrows, unimpressed. "And if I don’t?"

Alexei paused, voice stern and overly dramatic. "Then you are grounded."

She sighed deeply, pressing her forehead into her hand. "I'm not a child, dad."

You laughed softly, glancing at Bucky. "I better fix this before Alexei actually has a meltdown."

"Please do," Bucky said dryly, shaking his head. "I don't wanna be the one explaining to Valentina why our elevator is destroyed from the inside."

You smiled softly, already moving toward the stairs. "I'll reset the panel manually. Give me five minutes."

"I'll go with you," Bucky offered instantly, falling into step beside you.

You didn’t protest, quietly appreciating the company as you both descended the stairwell to the maintenance panel in the basement. Once there, you quickly knelt in front of the box, pulling your small screwdriver from your back pocket and opening the casing.

Bucky watched quietly from just behind you, arms crossed comfortably. "You sure you got this?"

You smirked faintly, eyes still on the wiring. "Not my first rodeo, Barnes."

He chuckled softly, amusement coloring his voice. "Never doubted you, doll."

Your hands froze briefly at the unexpected nickname, warmth flooding your cheeks. You silently thanked the dim lighting for hiding your reaction as you quickly refocused, finishing the reset. A soft hum filled the room as the power returned fully, bright lights flickering on overhead. You stood slowly, brushing your hands off casually. "All fixed."

Bucky nodded, clearly impressed. "Nice work."

The two of you headed back up the stairs just in time to see Alexei practically tumble out of the now-functioning elevator, dramatically gasping for air. "Freedom!" Alexei declared loudly, embracing a very annoyed John, who quickly shrugged him off.

"Personal space, man," John muttered irritably, shaking his head and quickly escaping down the hall.

Alexei beamed at you, placing a grateful hand on your shoulder. "Y/N, you are savior. I owe you life debt."

You laughed gently, shaking your head. "No need for life debts. Just try not to break the elevator again."

"No promises," Ava said dryly, smirking faintly as she walked off, Yelena trailing after her with an amused expression.

Alexei sighed dramatically, clearly offended. "One small elevator issue, and suddenly everyone is critic."

Bucky smiled faintly, glancing sideways at you as the others dispersed. "Thanks again, doll."

You flushed slightly once more, ducking your head a little, but managed a soft smile. "Anytime." If Bucky noticed your reaction, he didn’t show it, simply lingering quietly beside you as the hallway slowly emptied, leaving you both comfortably alone.

---

You hadn’t meant to overhear Ava and Yelena’s conversation, but while going to the kitchen at midnight for water, you heard them talking by the windows.

“I don’t know,” Ava sighed softly. “I guess I just haven’t celebrated since…you know.”

“Since your dad died?” Yelena offered quietly.

“Yeah,” Ava said quietly. “After everything happened with my powers, SHIELD never exactly prioritized cake and candles.”

You paused in the doorway, your chest tightening slightly. Silently, you stepped back down the hall, deciding your thirst could wait.

---

“So why exactly did you have me dig up old SHIELD records?” Jessica asked dryly over the phone.

“Because I knew you could,” you replied cheerfully, mixing the cake batter. “And because you secretly love being helpful.”

“I secretly love getting paid,” Jessica retorted. “But you’re lucky I like you.”

You smiled softly, holding the phone to your shoulder. “Thanks, Jess. Seriously.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jessica sighed. “You better save me a slice.”

“Promise,” you laughed. “Bye, Jess.”

As you hung up and set the phone aside, Bob quietly entered the kitchen. He looked distracted, eyes a bit distant. “Hey, Bob,” you said warmly. “Want to help?”

Bob blinked, startled out of his thoughts. “Oh—sure. What are we making?”

“Chocolate blood-orange cake for Ava’s birthday,” you replied, pushing a bowl toward him. “Can you brown the butter?”

“Uh,” Bob hesitated slightly, staring at the bowl. “I’ve never done that before.”

“It’s easy,” you reassured gently, smiling. “Just melt it slow and stir it till it gets golden. Think you can handle that?”

Bob nodded slowly, picking up the bowl and heading to the stove. “Yeah, I think so.”

The two of you worked quietly side by side for a few moments before you glanced at him carefully. “Everything okay, Bob?”

He hesitated before speaking softly. “You know, I’ve actually never celebrated a birthday before, either.”

Your hands stilled briefly. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he admitted quietly. “Never really had the chance, I guess.”

Your heart squeezed gently at his quiet confession. You casually continued mixing batter, speaking lightly. “Well, what kind of cake would you want, if you ever did celebrate?”

Bob’s face brightened slightly, thoughtful. “I’ve always wanted to try carrot cake. It sounds weird, putting vegetables in dessert.”

You laughed gently, warmth filling your chest. “Carrot cake’s amazing. Maybe we can make one sometime.”

Bob glanced up shyly, smiling softly. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

You nodded gently, smiling back at him. “Deal.”

---

A couple of hours later, the cake was finished and sitting on the counter. You were carefully arranging a few candles when Yelena wandered into the kitchen. “What’s this?” she asked curiously, eyeing the cake.

“It’s for Ava,” you explained softly, voice quiet. “Her birthday is today.”

Yelena blinked, clearly startled. “How did you know that?”

“I overheard,” you admitted sheepishly. “And I… might’ve got a friend to confirm.”

Yelena stared for a moment, expression softening slowly. “She’s gonna love this.”

“I hope so,” you murmured quietly.

Just then, Bucky stepped in, pausing briefly to glance between you both. “Something going on?”

“It’s Ava’s birthday,” Yelena supplied helpfully. “Y/N made a cake.”

Bucky’s expression softened noticeably, eyes lingering warmly on you. “That was thoughtful.”

You smiled softly, warmth spreading through you at his quiet praise. “She deserves it.”

John appeared in the doorway, eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Did I hear someone mention cake?”

Yelena smirked lightly. “You always hear cake.”

Alexei lumbered loudly into the room behind John. “Cake? What is occasion?”

“It’s Ava’s birthday,” you explained again, smiling at Alexei’s immediate enthusiasm.

“Birthday!” Alexei declared dramatically. “Where is Ava? We must sing!”

“No,” Ava said immediately, standing in the doorway with a startled look. “Absolutely no singing.”

Alexei deflated slightly, looking crestfallen. “But it’s tradition.”

“No singing,” Ava repeated firmly, though a faint smile tugged at her lips as she saw the cake. “Did you make this?”

You smiled gently, nodding. “Chocolate blood-orange. Hope you like it.”

Ava stared for a quiet moment, clearly touched. “I—I haven’t had a birthday cake since… well, ever, really.”

“Then it’s overdue,” Bucky murmured softly, giving her a warm nod.

Bob stepped forward shyly, offering Ava a plate and fork. “Happy birthday, Ava.”

She smiled softly, accepting the plate gently. “Thanks, Bob.”

“Alright,” John interrupted gruffly. “Enough feelings, let’s eat cake.”

Yelena smirked dryly, cutting slices quickly. “Patience was never your strength, Walker.”

You handed Bucky a piece, your fingers brushing his briefly. His gaze softened noticeably as he smiled gently down at you. “You’re amazing, sweetheart,” he murmured softly.

Your cheeks warmed, but you smiled brightly back. “Thanks, James.”

Alexei suddenly raised his slice high. “To Ava, may her powers never explode building!” Everyone paused, staring blankly. “What?” Alexei frowned defensively. “Is sincere wish.”

Ava laughed quietly, shaking her head. “I’ll take it.”

You smiled warmly, quietly stepping closer to Bucky, who casually leaned into your side. Your eyes met briefly, sharing a quiet, gentle understanding. As laughter and conversation filled the kitchen, Ava caught your eye from across the room, her smile softly grateful. You simply nodded gently in return.

---

You sat quietly on the sidelines, legs crossed comfortably beneath you as you carefully adjusted the wiring inside the small drone you'd been tinkering with all morning. Your fingers moved methodically, gently tightening screws and reconnecting circuits, oblivious to the occasional shouts and scuffles from the team's sparring session across the gym.

Yelena swiftly dodged a strike from Ava, spinning gracefully out of reach. "You're getting sloppy, Ghost."

Ava smirked beneath her breath, phasing out briefly to appear suddenly behind Yelena. "Says you."

John leaned against the wall, arms crossed, observing closely. "They're holding back."

Alexei chuckled heartily, stretching loudly beside him. "Is good practice. Builds character."

"You say that about everything," John muttered dryly.

Bob hovered uncertainly nearby, clearly hesitant to jump into the sparring circle. Bucky, quietly observing the team from the opposite side of the gym, caught his eye and nodded reassuringly. "You’ve got this, Bob. Just take it slow."

Bob nodded gratefully, stepping in to face Ava, who quickly softened her stance slightly, giving him a friendly, encouraging nod. You glanced up briefly, smiling at the subtle support within the group. It was comforting—watching them grow closer, slowly learning to trust and rely on one another.

Turning your attention back to the drone, you didn't notice at first when Ava swept Bob off balance, sending him stumbling toward the sidelines—directly toward you. "Watch it!" John shouted sharply.

You looked up just in time to see Bob's startled face as he tried desperately to regain his footing. Quickly, you scooted backward, narrowly avoiding collision. He crashed onto the mat in front of you, looking thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, Y/N," Bob stammered quickly, scrambling upright. "You okay?"

You gave him a reassuring smile. "No worries—didn't even touch me."

Bucky was already beside you, concern clear in his eyes. "You okay, doll?"

Your breath caught briefly at the nickname, cheeks warming slightly despite your best effort to remain calm. You nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Bucky studied your face closely, clearly making sure you meant it, before offering Bob a friendly clap on the shoulder. "Let's maybe keep the collisions to a minimum?"

Bob chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, definitely."

As the team resumed training, Bucky lingered a moment longer beside you, casually glancing down at the drone still in your hands. "How's it coming along?"

You relaxed visibly, appreciating the return to safer ground. "Almost fixed. Just some minor tweaks left."

He nodded approvingly. "Nice work."

You smiled softly, glancing up to meet his gentle eyes. "Thanks, James."

Bucky held your gaze for a quiet moment, lips curving slightly. "Always, doll." As he stepped back toward the sparring mats, your heartbeat slowly returned to normal. You quietly resumed your repairs, fingers steadier now despite the lingering warmth in your chest.

---

The street fair was bustling, music drifting lazily through the air mixed with the hum of excited voices. Alexei led the charge, loudly exclaiming his amazement at every food stand and carnival game they passed. “You see this?” Alexei shouted gleefully, pointing to a funnel cake stall. “They fry cake here!”

“Yes, Alexei,” Yelena replied dryly, glancing at you with mild exasperation. “It’s a fair. They fry everything.”

You laughed softly, bumping her shoulder gently. “He’s just having fun.”

John grimaced, “I’m not eating that shit.”

Alexei gasped, in something similar to betrayal. "Walker! Fried cake is delicacy!"

"It's just batter and oil," John muttered. "No thanks."

Bob eyed the funnel cake curiously. "I wanna try some."

Alexei immediately brightened again, clapping him firmly on the shoulder. "Bob understands culture."

Ava glanced at Yelena. "How many sugar crashes do you think we'll have to deal with later?"

Yelena sighed dramatically. "Too many."

You laughed quietly, bumping lightly into Bucky’s shoulder as you walked. "Enjoying yourself, James?"

He smiled faintly, hands tucked into his pockets. "Honestly? Yeah. Reminds me a bit of Coney Island in the 40s."

"That where you and Steve went?" you asked gently, eyes softening as you glanced at him.

He nodded, a nostalgic grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Steve was always trying to win prizes—never succeeded, though. Skinny punk couldn't hit a target to save his life."

You chuckled softly, nudging him again. "And you?"

He gave a modest shrug, eyes sparkling faintly. "I might've won a few times."

"Oh?" You raised an eyebrow teasingly. "You planning to show off those sharpshooter skills tonight?"

He smirked playfully. "Maybe."

Just then, Alexei pointed dramatically toward a colorful booth filled with stuffed animals. "Look, they have shooting games! Barnes, test your skills!"

Yelena rolled her eyes. "Alexei, it's rigged."

"Nonsense," Alexei declared confidently. "Barnes is assassin! He cannot miss."

Bucky sighed lightly, glancing sideways at you. "Looks like I don't have a choice now."

You laughed softly, gently nudging him forward. "Go on, then."

He stepped up to the booth, taking the air rifle the attendant handed him and aiming casually at the small targets.

Alexei crowded close, practically vibrating with excitement. "Shoot the little ducks, Barnes!"

"Thanks for the tip," Bucky muttered dryly. You watched quietly, smiling softly as Bucky effortlessly hit each target. Alexei cheered loudly, clapping him roughly on the back.

"Impressive!" Alexei exclaimed proudly. "Pick prize!"

Bucky turned, eyes catching yours as he pointed casually to a small stuffed bear. "That one." The attendant handed it over, and Bucky held it out toward you, lips twitching slightly. "Here you go, doll."

You felt your cheeks warm faintly as you accepted the bear, trying to ignore your quickening pulse. "Thanks, James."

He shrugged lightly, smiling softly at you. "Anytime."

Yelena raised an eyebrow knowingly, catching Ava’s amused glance. "Interesting," Ava murmured quietly, smirking slightly.

"Very," Yelena agreed dryly.

John rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "You two gonna stand there all night?"

You laughed softly, stepping closer beside Bucky. "Guess we better catch up."

Bucky smiled faintly, gently guiding you forward with a hand lightly placed at your lower back. "Wouldn't want them to leave us behind."

"No," you murmured playfully, hugging the bear gently. "Definitely not."

---

Once awake, you slowly sat up in bed, before putting your feet down on the floor. “Shit!” You yelped, your socked feet now soaking wet. You furrowed your brows, squinting at the floor in curiosity. You tapped your foot against the floor as water splashed. “Oh no,” you muttered, immediately scrambling upright. Quickly moving out into the hall, you found the rest of the team already emerging from their rooms, similarly confused and irritated.

"What the hell happened?" John groaned, glaring down at the inch of water covering the entire floor.

“Did someone leave bathtub running?” Alexei demanded loudly. “Was it you, Walker?”

John scowled, clearly offended. "No, Alexei, I didn’t flood the damn tower."

Yelena sighed dramatically, glancing around the drenched hallway. "Great start to the day."

"Looks like a pipe burst," you assessed quickly, already looking around. "We need to shut off the main valve."

Bob glanced at you uncertainly. "Do you know how?"

"Yeah," you replied, nodding firmly. "I just need to reach the access panel up there." You pointed upward to a panel high above your heads, near the ceiling.

"Do we have a ladder?" Ava asked calmly.

"No," Bucky said, frowning slightly. "Why would we have a ladder?"

"Everyone should have a ladder," you said matter-of-factly, mildly frustrated. "Emergencies happen, James."

Bucky shook his head, clearly suppressing a smile at your indignation. "Noted."

"Alright," you sighed heavily, glancing around the group. "Someone has to lift me."

Alexei immediately stepped forward, grinning broadly. "I will lift Y/N—very strong shoulders!"

"Yeah, and you're also a walking earthquake," Yelena said flatly. "You'll drop her."

Alexei deflated slightly. "Unfair accusation."

Bucky sighed softly, stepping closer to you. "I'll lift you."

You glanced at him, biting your lip. "You sure?"

He raised an eyebrow lightly. "I think I can handle it, doll."

Your cheeks warmed slightly at the casual nickname, but you quickly nodded. "Okay. Just, um… stand still."

He chuckled lightly, kneeling down so you could carefully climb onto his shoulders. "Hold on tight," he murmured, gently gripping your thighs to steady you as he stood up smoothly. Your pulse quickened as you balanced carefully on his shoulders, gripping the panel above your head. "You good?" Bucky asked, glancing upward.

"Yep," you said quickly, clearing your throat. "Just keep steady."

"Don't worry," he reassured quietly. "Not gonna drop you."

"Better not," you muttered teasingly, focusing your attention on the panel as you carefully pried it open.

"How long will this take?" John called impatiently from the doorway.

"Not long," you replied firmly, carefully reaching inside. "Just need a minute."

You paused briefly, glancing down at Bucky beneath you. "Can you shift just a little to the left?"

He moved slightly, carefully holding you steady. "Better?"

"Yeah," you murmured softly, fingers quickly adjusting the valve. "Almost got it." After a moment, you heard the quiet hiss as water flow finally stopped. "Done!"

Bucky carefully knelt down again, letting you gently climb off his shoulders. "Nice work," he said quietly, lips tugging into a faint smile.

You laughed lightly, smoothing your clothes. "Team effort."

Bob glanced around the still-flooded hallway. "So, what now?"

Ava sighed softly, crossing her arms. "Now we mop."

Alexei groaned dramatically, shaking his head. "I am not made for mopping."

"Too bad," Yelena said dryly, handing him a mop she'd retrieved from the closet. "Everyone cleans."

You glanced at Bucky, smiling softly. "Thanks for the lift."

"Anytime, sweetheart," he replied casually, already grabbing towels to help clean.

Your heart skipped slightly at the nickname, but you quickly turned away to hide your warm cheeks. "Let’s go," you called firmly, grabbing a mop. "The sooner we clean, the sooner we dry off."

Alexei grumbled quietly under his breath, reluctantly accepting his fate. "Life was simpler in Russia. Less mopping."

John rolled his eyes, already working. "Cry me a river."

"Ha!" Alexei pointed triumphantly. "Good joke."

You shook your head lightly, glancing over your shoulder to see Bucky already watching you quietly, his lips curved into a small, private smile. You smiled back gently before quickly focusing again on the task at hand, ignoring the lingering warmth in your cheeks.

---

You adjusted the front of your outfit, smoothing down your clothes as you stepped into the living room. Yelena glanced up from her phone, arching an eyebrow. "You look nice," she commented mildly. "Special occasion?"

"Um," you hesitated, fiddling with the strap of your bag. "Something like that."

Bucky walked into the room, eyes immediately landing on you and widening just a bit before he masked his reaction. "Hey," he said softly, stepping closer. "Going somewhere?"

"Oh, yeah," you said quickly, heart speeding up slightly under his careful gaze. "I—uh, I've got a date."

Bucky's expression shifted slightly, becoming harder to read. "A date?"

"No—wait," you said quickly, eyes widening as you realized your slip-up. "No, not a date date—it's Jessica. I'm going out with Jessica."

Yelena raised her eyebrows further, clearly entertained. "Jessica, your friend the private investigator?"

"Yeah," you sighed, already feeling your cheeks burn. "Just a friend. Totally just friends. I mean, my friend Jessica. She helped me find out when Ava's birthday was, so I promised I'd take her out somewhere nice."

Bucky tilted his head, clearly still processing. "Right, so... not a date."

You shook your head emphatically. "Nope. Just dinner with Jessica—as a thank you. Completely platonic."

"Sounds fun," Yelena said dryly, clearly enjoying your discomfort.

You shot her a quick glare before turning back to Bucky. "She wanted a fancy restaurant, so I just—got a little dressed up."

"You look good," Bucky murmured softly, lips quirking slightly. "She'll appreciate it."

"Right," you said weakly, smoothing down your clothes again. "Anyway, I should probably go."

Bucky nodded, stepping back slightly. "Have a good time, doll."

Your heart skipped slightly at the nickname, and you offered him a small smile. "Thanks, James."

As soon as you were out of the room, Yelena glanced pointedly at Bucky, eyebrows raised. "What?" Bucky muttered, moving toward the kitchen.

"Nothing," Yelena replied lightly, lips twitching into a smirk. "Just enjoying the show."

Bucky shot her a glare. "There's no show."

"If you say so," Yelena hummed, clearly unconvinced.

Bucky sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Mind your business, Yelena."

She shrugged casually, returning to her phone. "Whatever you say, Barnes."

---

Jessica was already at the table when you got there, in her normal leather jacket, jeans, and combat boots. You raised an eyebrow as you sat down. “I’m shocked they even let you in.”

Jessica shrugged carelessly. "I told them my date was fancy enough for both of us."

You rolled your eyes, picking up the menu. "Charming. You know, you could've at least pretended to try."

"Not really my style," Jessica muttered, flipping casually through the menu. She frowned, scanning the pages. "Where the hell are the burgers?"

You glanced up, blinking. "Jess, did you even read the menu before you made me book this place?"

"I skimmed it," she said defensively, eyes narrowing at the fancy script. "They seriously don't have burgers?"

The waiter approached, smiling politely. "Have we decided, ladies?"

"Yeah," Jessica said flatly, slapping her menu shut. "I'll take a burger. Medium rare. Fries too."

The waiter stared blankly at her. You smiled apologetically. "Sorry—she hasn't read the menu. Could you give us another minute?" He nodded politely, retreating.

Jessica scowled. "Why don't they have burgers? What kind of restaurant is this?"

"The kind where people don't wear combat boots," you teased lightly. "Why exactly did you pick this place?"

Jessica ignored your question, her eyes suddenly narrowing as she spotted someone over your shoulder. "Shit. Hold that thought. I gotta take care of something."

"Jess?" You raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "What's going on?"

She stood quickly, eyes locked across the restaurant. "You think I actually wanted a fancy dinner date? I'm working."

You groaned, laughing softly. "Of course you are. I should've known better."

"Stay put," Jessica said firmly. "I'll be right back."

You leaned back, sighing dramatically as she walked off. "Yeah, sure. I'll just sit here alone like a weirdo."

---

Jessica returned after fifteen minutes, sliding casually back into her chair. "All good?" you asked dryly, sipping your drink.

"Yeah, got what I needed," she replied, grinning faintly. "Turns out fancy restaurants attract fancy assholes."

"You couldn't have warned me?" You sighed, setting your glass down. "We could've just grabbed pizza."

Jessica shrugged lightly. "Figured you deserved something classy. But now I'm bored. Let’s go to a bar."

You laughed, shaking your head. "You're hopeless."

Jessica smirked, standing quickly. "Come on, princess. Time to slum it with the peasants."

You rolled your eyes affectionately, grabbing your purse. "You're lucky I love you."

Jessica snorted, guiding you toward the exit. "Yeah, yeah."

---

The bar Jessica chose was predictably dim, loud, and comfortably familiar. She gestured toward a booth in the back, already heading to the counter. "Sit. I'll get us drinks."

You slid into the booth, sighing in relief as you sank into the worn leather. A few minutes later, Jessica slid two beers onto the table, dropping heavily onto the seat opposite you.

"Cheers," she said dryly, lifting her glass. "To your terrible taste in men."

You scoffed, clicking your glass against hers. "Shut up."

Jessica smirked knowingly. "Seriously though, how's living with America's favorite metal-armed politician?"

"James isn't a politician anymore," you muttered, avoiding her eyes. "And it's... fine."

Jessica snorted, taking a swig of her beer. "Fine? That's it?"

You shrugged, picking at the label of your bottle. "What do you want me to say? It's not like anything's happening."

"Uh-huh," Jessica said flatly, giving you a knowing look. "You're a shitty liar, you know that, right?"

"I am not," you protested weakly. "Seriously, Jess, nothing's going on."

She rolled her eyes. "Right, because moving in with your hot, former congressman neighbor and living with the Avengers is totally normal."

You groaned softly. "It's just temporary."

Jessica raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Temporary, like how you told me letting me crash on your couch was temporary?"

"That was different," you said defensively, pointing your beer bottle at her. "You were a very stubborn squatter."

Jessica smirked, unbothered. "Yeah, but Barnes is probably way easier to live with."

"He's..." You hesitated, sipping your beer again. "He's actually really nice."

"Nice?" Jessica repeated skeptically. "We're calling the Winter Soldier nice now?"

"Jessica," you warned softly. "Don't start."

She shrugged, leaning back casually. "Just seems interesting, that's all. Pretty convenient he just happened to have room in a fucking skyscraper for you."

"It's a tower," you corrected mildly. "And it was just luck. Fisk bought our building."

"Right," Jessica drawled, watching you closely. "So, it's totally innocent."

"Yes," you insisted firmly. "Completely innocent."

Jessica stared at you a long moment, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You're blushing."

"I am not," you protested weakly, pressing your cool hands against your heated cheeks. "It's just warm in here."

"Uh-huh," Jessica said dryly, taking another long drink. "Just don't come crying to me when your heart gets stomped."

"You're so encouraging," you muttered sarcastically.

"It's what I'm here for," Jessica retorted lightly, finishing her beer. She glanced at your half-empty bottle. "You good?"

You sighed, leaning your chin on your hand. "Yeah, fine."

Jessica chuckled quietly, flagging down a waitress. "Two more."

---

After three beers, your cheeks were flushed and your voice was noticeably louder. Jessica, still perfectly sober, watched you carefully with a mildly amused expression.

"And you know what else?" you said, jabbing your finger at the table dramatically. "He calls me doll, Jess. Doll! Who even does that?"

Jessica raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. "Barnes does, apparently."

"And sweetheart," you continued, leaning in conspiratorially. "He calls me sweetheart, too. And you know what I do?"

"What?" Jessica asked patiently, lips twitching.

"Nothing!" you exclaimed, slumping back in your seat dramatically. "I just stand there like an idiot. Every. Single. Time."

Jessica snorted softly. "Sounds like you got it bad."

You sighed heavily, resting your head on your folded arms. "I'm doomed, Jess. Totally doomed."

"Relax, drama queen," Jessica said dryly. "You could always just tell him."

You lifted your head, staring at her as if she'd grown another head. "Tell him? Are you insane?"

Jessica shrugged lightly. "Maybe. But at least you'd know."

"And risk everything?" you groaned dramatically, burying your face again. "No way. I'd rather suffer in silence."

"Clearly," Jessica muttered, signaling for the waitress again. "Maybe lay off the beer, though. You're spilling your guts more than usual."

You waved her off dismissively. "I'm fine. I'm great."

"You're wasted," Jessica corrected bluntly.

"No," you argued stubbornly, pushing yourself upright. "I'm just—relaxed."

Jessica snorted, shaking her head. "Whatever you say."

"I just don't get it," you mumbled, tracing circles on the table. "He's so sweet and caring, and he has no right looking that good all the time."

Jessica sighed deeply. "Jesus Christ."

"And his eyes," you continued dreamily. "Did I tell you about his eyes?"

"Multiple times," Jessica muttered dryly. "Blue and soulful, got it."

"Exactly," you said emphatically, pointing at her again. "So unfair."

Jessica rolled her eyes affectionately. "Maybe next time I'll just leave you at home."

"You wouldn't dare," you gasped dramatically.

"Watch me," Jessica said flatly. "But seriously—you're pathetic."

"I know," you groaned softly. "But he's so perfect."

Jessica raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I highly doubt that."

"Well, he's perfect for me," you corrected, smiling faintly. "He fixes stuff, Jess. Like, actual household things. And he carried all my boxes. And—and he makes sure I eat when I'm working. Do you have any idea how sweet that is?"

Jessica's expression softened just slightly. "Yeah. Sounds like he's decent."

"More than decent," you mumbled sleepily. "He's James."

Jessica sighed quietly, nudging you gently. "Okay, princess. Time to go."

"No," you protested weakly. "I'm comfy."

"You're gonna regret this tomorrow," Jessica muttered, carefully pulling you to your feet.

You stumbled slightly, clutching onto her jacket. "Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"You're my best friend," you murmured softly. "You know that, right?"

Jessica rolled her eyes affectionately, guiding you toward the door. "Yeah, I know. Love you too, dumbass."

You sighed contentedly, leaning heavily on her shoulder. "Good."

---

When you finally reached the tower, Jessica practically dragged you into the elevator. You leaned heavily against the wall, eyes half-closed. Jessica took your phone, quickly texting Bucky before pocketing it again. You hummed sleepily, eyes fluttering shut. "You okay there, lightweight?" Jessica teased lightly.

"M'fine," you mumbled, yawning. "Just tired."

"Clearly," Jessica muttered dryly.

The elevator doors opened, revealing Bucky waiting quietly in the lobby. His eyes softened immediately as he took in your sleepy form. "You alright, doll?" he asked softly, stepping forward.

You smiled lazily, eyes half-open. "Hi, James."

"Hey," he replied gently, lips tugging into a small smile. He glanced at Jessica. "Is she okay?"

Jessica nodded casually. "Yeah, she’s fine. Just drunk."

Bucky raised an eyebrow. "How drunk?"

Jessica shrugged lightly. "Phase three."

Bucky looked at her, mildly confused. "Phase three?"

"She has phases," Jessica explained dryly. "Phase one—chatty, talks way too much about things no one asked about. Phase two—lovey, tells you how amazing you are, how much she loves and appreciates you. Phase three—sleepy." Jessica glanced back at you pointedly. "You're lucky; phase two was over before we got here."

You hummed softly, blinking slowly. "Love you, Jess."

Jessica sighed affectionately, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Love you too, dumbass."

Bucky smiled faintly, clearly amused. "Thanks for getting her home safe."

Jessica shrugged lightly. "No big deal. But she's your problem now."

You leaned against Bucky’s side, head resting against his shoulder sleepily. "James?"

"Yeah, doll?" he murmured softly.

"I'm really tired," you mumbled into his sleeve.

He chuckled quietly, carefully wrapping an arm around your shoulders to steady you. "Let's get you upstairs."

Jessica watched quietly, raising an eyebrow as the elevator doors closed. "Take care of her, Barnes."

Bucky glanced at her, nodding sincerely. "Always."

The elevator ride was quiet, your breathing even and slow. When the doors opened, Bucky gently guided you down the hall to your room. "Need help getting undressed?" he asked quietly, opening your door.

You stumbled lightly into the room, making your way clumsily toward your bed. Without hesitation, you fell face-first onto the mattress, sighing dramatically. "Fuck the dress," you muttered, voice muffled by your pillow.

Bucky laughed softly, moving to carefully pull your shoes off and set them aside. He grabbed a blanket, gently laying it over you. "Night, sweetheart," he whispered softly.

You hummed quietly, already drifting. "G’night, James." He paused briefly at your door, watching quietly for a moment before turning off the lights and gently closing it behind him.

---

You sat at the kitchen island the next morning, your hoodie pulled over your head as you sat hunched over.

Bucky walked in, pausing briefly to take in your slumped figure. He suppressed a smile. "Mornin’, doll. How you feeling?"

"Like shit," you muttered, forehead pressed firmly against your palm. "I used to handle way more than three beers in college. Apparently, having a real job ruined me."

Bucky chuckled softly, gently placing a glass of water and two ibuprofen tablets in front of you. "Drink this. It'll help."

"Thanks, James," you sighed weakly, downing the pills with a grimace. "I'm pathetic."

"Only a little," Yelena chimed in dryly, entering the kitchen and pouring herself coffee. "But we still love you."

"Thanks, Lena," you mumbled sarcastically. "Very comforting."

Alexei suddenly burst into the room, slamming a giant pickle jar onto the counter in front of you, making you flinch at the sound. "Here, Y/N!" Alexei declared proudly. "Drink pickle juice! Is best Russian remedy for hangover."

You stared blankly at the massive jar. "Uh—thanks, Alexei, but I think I'll pass."

"Drink," Alexei insisted, unscrewing the lid and pushing it closer. "Will fix headache immediately."

Yelena raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That’s disgusting."

"Is not disgusting," Alexei protested indignantly. "Is traditional Russian medicine."

"You also told us vodka was traditional medicine," Yelena pointed out, sipping her coffee. "Not everything Russian is healthy."

Bucky watched the exchange with mild amusement. "He's not wrong, though. Pickle juice does help."

You shot him a skeptical look. "Whose side are you on?"

"I'm neutral," Bucky replied, smiling softly. "Just stating facts."

Alexei nudged the jar toward you again. "Drink, Y/N. You feel better."

You grimaced, gently pushing it away. "Really appreciate it, Alexei, but I’ll stick to water."

Alexei sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Americans. No respect for tradition."

Yelena smirked lightly. "At least we have taste buds."

Alexei scoffed dramatically, lifting the jar and taking a large gulp of pickle juice himself, then smacked his lips loudly. "Delicious."

You groaned softly, leaning your head against your folded arms. "That's it, I'm going back to bed."

Bucky gently squeezed your shoulder, voice warm and quiet. "Good call, doll. Get some rest."

Your heart fluttered softly, but you nodded slowly, pulling your hoodie tighter. "Thanks, James."

"Anytime," he murmured softly as you shuffled out, carefully avoiding Alexei’s pickle jar.

---

There were no records of Bob’s birthday anywhere—you even had Jessica check. So, you decided that any day was better than nothing and started making a carrot cake. You stood in the kitchen, glancing over your shoulder at the recipe on your tablet. Muttering softly to yourself, you scanned the ingredients.

"Okay... flour, sugar, carrots..." you paused, frowning. "Nutmeg. Where’s the nutmeg?" You opened several cabinets, groaning softly when you saw the tiny jar on the top shelf, clearly out of your reach. "Really?" you muttered, standing on your tiptoes. You reached upward, stretching as far as you could, your shirt riding up slightly as you leaned.

Before you could climb onto the counter, a firm, gentle hand landed lightly on your hip, steadying you. Your breath caught slightly, heart skipping. "Careful, doll," Bucky murmured softly behind you. "Let me get it."

You slowly lowered back onto your heels, pulse racing as his warmth lingered at your side. "Thanks, James."

He reached easily over your head, grabbing the spice jar. As he moved to hand it to you, his gaze caught briefly on your exposed side, brows furrowing slightly as he noticed the faint, jagged scar. He went quiet, eyes serious. "What's that from?"

Your heart skipped again, this time anxiously. You quickly pulled your shirt down, cheeks warming slightly. "Oh, just an old scar. No big deal."

Bucky's eyes narrowed slightly, concern deepening. "Doesn't look like 'no big deal.' What happened?"

You hesitated, setting the jar down carefully on the counter. "It's... complicated."

He stepped closer, voice gentle and low. "I’ve got time."

You sighed softly, avoiding his eyes as you stirred the batter slowly. "A few years ago, Jessica had a sister. Trish. She wasn't... well."

Bucky watched you carefully, staying silent to let you continue.

"One night, Trish snapped," you murmured softly. "She thought she was doing something good, but she attacked me. She stabbed me."

Bucky stilled completely, tension radiating softly from him. "Jesus."

You shrugged weakly, eyes still down. "Jess stopped her before it got worse. Trish is locked up now, but the scar... it stuck around."

He exhaled slowly, clearly processing. After a quiet moment, he carefully rested his hand on your shoulder, gently turning you toward him.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice rough with concern.

You nodded, forcing a faint smile. "It was years ago. I’m okay, James. Really."

He studied your face carefully, thumb brushing gently along your shoulder. "You ever want to talk about it more, I'm here."

Your heart warmed softly, and you gently touched his hand, squeezing lightly. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

He nodded slowly, pulling his hand back but staying close. "You know," he murmured lightly, smiling faintly, "you don't have to keep everything bottled up."

You chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Says you."

He smirked, shaking his head. "Fair point. Still applies to you."

You smiled softly, sighing quietly. "Maybe someday."

He nodded gently, expression softening again. "I'll wait."

Your chest tightened gently, warmth spreading through you. "Thanks, James."

"Anytime, doll," he murmured quietly, stepping back slowly. "Need help finishing this cake?"

You relaxed visibly, grateful for the shift in topic. "Absolutely. Can you grate carrots without losing fingers?"

He chuckled quietly, already moving toward the carrots. "Think I'll manage." You smiled softly, the quiet comfort of his presence easing the tension still lingering inside you.

---

A couple of hours later, you placed the freshly frosted carrot cake on the kitchen counter, carefully arranging a small group of candles on top. You stepped back, examining your handiwork.

"Looks great," Bucky said gently from behind you, smiling warmly. "Bob’s gonna love it."

You smiled softly, nudging his side lightly with your elbow. "Couldn't have done it without you, James."

Alexei barreled into the kitchen, eyes immediately lighting up at the sight. "Cake is ready! Time for birthday celebration!"

"Is it really his birthday?" John asked skeptically, leaning against the fridge.

"No records," you admitted with a shrug. "So today seemed as good as any."

Ava raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Works for me."

Yelena carefully placed paper plates on the counter, glancing at the cake appreciatively. "Nice work, Y/N."

"Thanks, Yelena," you replied warmly.

Bob stepped hesitantly into the kitchen, eyes widening when he saw the cake and candles. "What's all this?"

Alexei threw an enthusiastic arm around Bob’s shoulders, pulling him forward. "Happy Birthday, Bob! Today, you become man!"

Bob chuckled nervously, blushing faintly. "But—it’s not really my birthday."

"We know," Ava said calmly, offering a small smile. "But it doesn't matter. We're celebrating anyway."

Bob’s expression softened, clearly touched. "Wow. I've never had a birthday party before."

"Well," you said gently, lighting the candles carefully. "You do now."

Bob swallowed, smiling shyly. "Thank you."

Bucky stepped forward, gently clapping Bob on the back. "Alright, make a wish."

Bob hesitated briefly, glancing around at the team gathered around him—faces soft and supportive. Finally, he leaned in, blowing out the candles quickly. Everyone broke into cheers—Alexei loudest of all, clapping enthusiastically.

"What did you wish for?" Alexei demanded brightly.

Bob laughed softly, shaking his head. "Can’t tell you, Alexei. Then it won't come true."

Alexei frowned, clearly unconvinced. "Superstition."

Yelena sighed dryly. "Leave him alone."

You sliced the cake carefully, handing Bob the first piece. "Here you go. Hope you like it."

Bob took a bite, eyes immediately lighting up. "This is amazing, Y/N."

You smiled, relieved. "Good."

Bucky took a bite, nodding appreciatively. "She makes a mean cake."

You nudged him lightly. "You helped."

He chuckled softly, eyes warm. "Barely."

"Still counts," you insisted gently, taking your own slice.

Alexei eagerly shoved half the piece of cake into his mouth at once, crumbs dropping onto the counter. "Delicious! Y/N, you are baking genius!"

"Slow down," John muttered, eyeing Alexei warily. "You're making a mess."

Alexei waved dismissively. "Birthday celebrations demand mess."

You laughed softly, glancing around at the group—relaxed, smiling, sharing cake. Quietly, your heart warmed. After finishing his slice, Bob smiled shyly, clearing his throat softly. "Thanks, everyone. I mean it. This was really nice."

"You're welcome," you replied warmly, gently touching his arm. "You deserve it, Bob."

He flushed faintly, clearly touched. "Thanks, Y/N."

As everyone chatted, slowly drifting toward the living room, Bucky lingered by your side, quietly gathering the dirty dishes.

"You did a good thing," he murmured softly, voice gentle.

You smiled softly, heart fluttering at his praise. "Bob deserves good things."

Bucky's eyes softened further, meeting yours quietly. "So do you, doll."

You glanced down, cheeks warming slightly. "Thanks, James."

"Anytime," he said gently, brushing your arm lightly with his metal fingers as he moved past. "Come on—let's join the others before Alexei breaks into birthday karaoke."

You laughed softly, shaking your head. "God forbid." Bucky chuckled quietly, staying close beside you as you walked toward the living room, warmth settling softly in your chest.

---

Bucky stood quietly by the large windows in the tower's common area, eyes fixed on the city skyline. Sam leaned casually against the nearby wall, arms crossed as he watched him carefully. "You know this whole 'New Avengers' thing is messed up, right?" Sam finally said, breaking the silence.

Bucky sighed heavily, nodding slowly. "Yeah. Trust me, I'm not comfortable with it either."

Sam shifted slightly, eyes narrowed. "So why go along with it? Valentina can't control everything."

Bucky shook his head, his gaze hardening. "Right now, Sam, she pretty much can. Believe me, if I saw another way out, I'd take it."

Sam sighed, pushing himself away from the wall. "Still doesn't sit right with me, man."

Bucky turned to face him, expression weary. "Doesn't sit right with me either. But the minute there's an opening, we'll figure something out."

"Better be soon," Sam warned softly, raising an eyebrow. "Because you know she won't stop at this."

"I know," Bucky muttered. "I know."

Before either of them could speak again, you passed quietly through the room, glancing briefly in their direction. Bucky’s posture immediately relaxed, a soft smile forming instinctively as he called out gently, "Hey, doll. You need anything?"

Your cheeks warmed slightly, but you smiled back softly. "No, I'm good, James. Just heading upstairs."

"Alright," he said warmly. "Let me know."

As you left, Sam stared at Bucky, eyebrows raised incredulously. "Doll? Really?"

Bucky shot him a look, mildly annoyed. "What?"

Sam chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Come on, Buck. You seriously haven't made a move yet?"

Bucky’s jaw tightened slightly. "It's complicated."

"No, it's really not," Sam countered, amused. "Dude, I've seen you flirt with my sister. You're not shy."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "This is different."

"How?" Sam asked, clearly entertained.

Bucky glanced toward the empty hallway, expression softening considerably. "Because this matters."

Sam raised his eyebrows knowingly. "Then maybe you should do something about it."

Bucky sighed heavily, shaking his head slightly. "Yeah. Maybe."

Sam chuckled, lightly clapping Bucky on the shoulder as he passed. "Better do it soon, Barnes. Before someone else beats you to it."

Bucky watched him leave, letting out a long breath before muttering quietly to himself, "Yeah. I know."

---

It was late evening, the common room lights turned low, the city beyond the windows glittering quietly. Most of the team had already retreated to their rooms, leaving the space comfortably silent. You padded softly into the room, carrying a small plate with a slice of leftover carrot cake, glancing up when you spotted Bucky sitting quietly on the couch, his eyes distant.

"Hey," you said softly, settling comfortably next to him, knees brushing lightly. "Didn't realize anyone else was still awake."

Bucky’s gaze softened instantly as he turned to you. "Couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind."

You nodded, taking a small bite of your cake. Without thinking, you offered him the next bite—something that had become routine over the past weeks. He leaned forward easily, accepting the forkful without hesitation.

"Thanks, doll," he murmured, swallowing and smiling faintly.

The familiar nickname fluttered warmly in your chest. You nudged his knee gently with your own. "You're welcome, James."

He studied you for a moment, his expression turning curious. "Why do you always call me that?"

You raised an eyebrow, smiling softly. "James?"

He nodded, shifting slightly so he faced you better. "Yeah. Everyone else calls me Bucky."

You paused thoughtfully, glancing down at your plate with a faint, embarrassed smile. "Oh. Um, it's a bit embarrassing."

Bucky tilted his head, intrigued now. "Now you gotta tell me."

You laughed softly, leaning back against the cushions as you met his gentle eyes. "Well, when I found out I was getting a new neighbor—" you sighed playfully, shaking your head, "Jessica might've, you know, looked into you a little."

Bucky raised an amused eyebrow. "Looked into me?"

"Yeah," you admitted sheepishly, smiling. "She said your real name was James. So when I finally met you in the hallway, it just sort of... came out. After that, it felt weird to switch to Bucky."

He chuckled quietly, eyes crinkling warmly. "So, your friend stalked me."

"Investigated," you corrected teasingly. "She prefers that term."

"Right," he said dryly, lips tugging into a smile. "And all this time, you never thought to switch to Bucky?"

You shrugged lightly, bumping his shoulder gently with your own. "I like James better. It feels... real, you know?"

His gaze softened noticeably, voice dropping slightly. "Yeah. I know."

You held his gaze for a long moment, neither of you looking away. The silence was comfortable but charged, something shifting gently in the quiet between you. You hesitated, feeling your pulse quicken slightly.

"You okay?" you asked softly, breaking the silence.

Bucky exhaled slowly, leaning closer just slightly, his knee pressing gently against yours. "Better now."

You smiled softly, cheeks warming as you carefully looked away, setting your empty plate down on the table. "You're sweet."

He nudged your shoulder gently, voice quiet. "Don’t let the others hear you say that."

You laughed quietly, nudging him back. "Secret's safe with me."

"Good," he murmured, voice warm and gentle, lingering comfortably beside you. "Wouldn't want them getting ideas."

You glanced at him again, smile faint but sincere. "Oh, I think they already have plenty of ideas, James."

He chuckled softly, shaking his head lightly. "Yeah, probably."

You leaned slightly closer, voice quiet but playful. "Is it really so bad?"

His gaze softened again, a quiet intensity flickering briefly in his eyes. "No," he admitted gently. "Not at all." Your smile grew warmer as you settled comfortably against him, both of you content to let the quiet stretch easily between you, the warmth of his presence finally enough for now.

---

Early morning sunlight spilled through the kitchen windows, warming your shoulders as you quietly stirred your coffee. A bowl of cereal sat half-forgotten in front of you as your eyes lingered absently on the countertop. Just down the hall, faintly, you heard the familiar upbeat tune drifting into the kitchen.

"It's Patsy! It's Patsy! I really wanna be your friend..."

You froze for a second, breath catching as the cheerful song tugged uncomfortably at the edges of your memories. You shook your head slightly, trying to refocus on your coffee as your pulse quickened slightly.

Just then, you felt Bucky’s presence enter the kitchen. You didn’t look up, but you felt his quiet gaze settle on you. A moment later, you heard him step toward the living room.

"Hey, Alexei?" Bucky's voice carried gently but firmly down the hall. "Maybe try something else. Have you ever seen The Office?"

Alexei let out a thoughtful hum, clearly intrigued. "Is it funny?"

"Yeah," Bucky answered calmly. "I think you'll like it." You heard the channel change, the familiar jingle quickly replaced with a new, more welcome sound—the opening notes of a different, much lighter comedy.

You exhaled softly, shoulders easing as you stared down at your coffee mug again. Bucky quietly reentered the kitchen, pausing just long enough to pour himself a cup of coffee before sliding onto the stool beside you. He didn’t say anything, giving you the space you needed, but he stayed close, his presence quietly reassuring.

Slowly, you reached over, silently slipping your hand into his—finding his metal one—and gently squeezing his fingers.

Bucky went still for a second, looking down at your joined hands before his fingers gently curled around yours in response, his thumb softly brushing against your knuckles.

You didn’t speak. You didn’t need to.

---

You had already left for work when Bucky walked into the kitchen. The rest of the team was already there, and when they saw him they suddenly went silent. Bucky stopped abruptly, coffee cup halfway to his mouth, eyes narrowing slightly. "What?" he asked cautiously, looking around at the team's carefully neutral expressions.

"Nothing," John said quickly, looking away a bit too casually. "Just having breakfast."

Ava silently studied her cereal, avoiding eye contact. Alexei grinned a little too widely, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yes, breakfast," Alexei echoed cheerfully, shoveling a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. "Very delicious."

Bucky stared at them for a long moment, clearly unconvinced. "You're all acting weird."

Bob shifted uncomfortably, glancing around. "Uh, nope. Just... eating breakfast. Like John said."

Yelena finally sighed loudly, throwing down her spoon in frustration. "Oh, for God's sake, I'm tired of your bullshit, Bucky."

He blinked at her in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Yelena crossed her arms, glaring at him. "You know how many times I've wanted to lock the two of you on the balcony and have you fend for yourselves? Watching you dance around each other is physically painful."

Bucky stared at her, eyes widening slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," John muttered, clearly losing patience. "We've all seen it."

Bob nodded quickly, looking relieved someone finally said it. "It's true. You and Y/N—it's obvious."

Alexei slammed his palm on the table dramatically. "Painfully obvious!"

Bucky sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Guys, seriously—"

"No," Yelena cut him off sharply. "Stop avoiding this. You like her. She likes you. Do something about it before I lose my mind."

Bucky narrowed his eyes slightly. "And this is your business because…?"

"Because we're all tired of watching you stare longingly like a sad puppy," Ava said dryly.

John nodded in agreement, leaning back comfortably. "Honestly, it's starting to get pathetic."

Bucky raised his eyebrows, looking slightly offended. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Yelena shot back flatly. "Someone had to say it."

Bob smiled gently, offering an encouraging look. "We just want you both to be happy."

Alexei nodded enthusiastically again. "Exactly. Y/N is perfect for you—smart, pretty, excellent baker. You must not waste this opportunity, Barnes!"

Bucky exhaled sharply, clearly flustered. "I'm not—I'm not wasting anything."

Yelena raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Then why haven't you made a move?"

Bucky hesitated, sighing quietly. "It's complicated."

Ava rolled her eyes softly. "Not that complicated."

Alexei gestured dramatically. "You take Y/N to nice dinner. You confess deep feelings. You kiss—very romantic."

Bucky groaned, shaking his head slightly. "You’re oversimplifying."

"No," Yelena said firmly, eyes narrowing. "You're overcomplicating. Do you like her or not?"

He paused, voice softening reluctantly. "Yeah. Of course I do."

"Then do something about it," John said pointedly. "We’ve been suffering through this long enough."

Bucky sighed again, looking at each of them carefully. "Fine. I'll figure it out. Happy?"

Yelena gave him a satisfied nod. "Yes. And if you don't, I swear I’ll lock you both on the balcony. I'm not kidding."

Alexei beamed proudly. "See? My methods always effective."

Bucky shot Alexei a dry look. "Yeah, subtle as always."

Alexei shrugged happily, unbothered. "Subtlety overrated."

Bucky shook his head lightly, finally sipping his coffee. "Just keep your noses out of it, okay?"

Yelena smirked faintly. "Only if you finally do something."

He sighed deeply, rolling his eyes slightly. "Noted."

"Good," she replied lightly, returning calmly to her cereal. "Glad we had this talk."

Bucky glanced around the room once more, exhaling tiredly. "Yeah. Great talk."

---

Later that evening, you stepped into the gym area, glancing around uncertainly. Yelena stood near the mats, adjusting a sleek, black wristband. “You’re sure you need me for this?” you asked skeptically, setting your bag down.

“Relax,” Yelena said smoothly, smiling innocently. “I just need to test some new tech on someone who isn’t… super.”

“Thanks,” you muttered dryly. “Love being the baseline.”

Across the room, you noticed Ava and John lounging on benches, trying way too hard to look casual. Alexei leaned against the wall, pretending to stretch.

Your eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why is everyone here?”

John shrugged, suddenly fascinated by his shoes. “Just hanging out.”

“Right,” you said, clearly unconvinced.

Bucky entered just then, stopping abruptly when he saw you. His eyes flickered quickly to Yelena, clearly suspicious. “What’s going on?”

Yelena waved him off dismissively. “Testing my wristband on a non-superhuman.”

Bucky glanced back at you, visibly concerned. “Is that safe?”

You rolled your eyes, laughing softly. “Relax, James. It’s just a wristband. Worst case, it buzzes.” Bucky didn’t look convinced but leaned back against the wall beside Ava, eyes tracking you carefully.

“Ready?” Yelena asked, arching an eyebrow at you.

You nodded hesitantly. “I guess.”

Yelena moved easily into a fighting stance. You mimicked her—far less gracefully—raising your hands awkwardly. “Just… go easy on me?”

Yelena smiled, feigning innocence. “Always.”

She tapped the wristband, and a soft glow lit along her fingertips. You barely had a moment to register it before she moved forward. Her punch was deliberately slow; you raised your arms instinctively to block—but then something happened. The wristband emitted a faint pulse, and suddenly Yelena’s fist moved much faster. “Whoa!” you yelped, stumbling back.

Yelena pulled her punch instantly, concern flickering in her eyes. “You good?”

You nodded quickly. “Fine. Just… unexpected.”

“You’re doing great,” Ava said encouragingly, biting back a smirk. Bucky’s eyes narrowed further, suspicion deepening.

You resumed your stance again, carefully watching Yelena. She moved forward again, slower this time. You braced yourself, prepared—but once again, the wristband pulsed unexpectedly. You ducked awkwardly, losing your footing completely.

Before you hit the ground, strong arms caught you firmly, steadying you against a broad chest. Your breath hitched sharply as you looked up into Bucky’s concerned face.

“You okay, doll?” he murmured softly, voice low enough only you could hear.

Your cheeks flushed hotly, heart suddenly racing. “Yeah,” you whispered breathlessly. “I’m—I’m good.”

Neither of you moved for a long moment, eyes locked, entirely too close. You felt your pulse hammering in your chest, certain he could feel it too.

Nearby, Yelena cleared her throat deliberately. Bucky blinked, finally helping you back onto your feet. He didn’t step back immediately, lingering just a little too close. “Maybe call it quits for today?”

Yelena smirked faintly, clearly satisfied. “Yeah, probably a good idea.”

You glanced down awkwardly, cheeks still burning. “Thanks for the save, James.”

His eyes softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Anytime.”

You turned away quickly, grabbing your things. As you walked toward the exit, you caught Ava shooting Yelena a pointed look, clearly suppressing laughter. “Subtle,” you heard Bucky mutter dryly behind you, making your face burn even hotter.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Yelena replied innocently, already removing the wristband. You shook your head, fighting back a shy smile as you quickly slipped out of the gym.

---

The team, other than Bob, had gone out on a simple arms deal, leaving the Watchtower to you and Bob tonight. You taught him how to make tiramisu before settling on the couch showing him Modern Family.

"Phil's my favorite," Bob admitted shyly, smiling warmly. "He's just so... earnest."

You chuckled softly. "Yeah, he's got that charming dad energy."

Bob's smile brightened. "Exactly."

Your phone buzzed suddenly on the table, Jessica’s name lighting up the screen. You reached for it casually, answering without really looking. "Hey Jess—"

"Are they gone?" Jessica cut in sharply, voice tense.

You frowned, instantly alert. "The team? Yeah, they're out on an arms deal—wait, how do you even know—"

"It’s a set-up," Jessica interrupted quickly. "There’s no arms deal. Fisk arranged it."

You sat up abruptly, heart pounding. "Fisk?"

"He has cops on the way to the tower right now," Jessica said urgently. "They're coming for you. He knows you have that hard drive. He knows you've seen the files."

Your throat tightened. "Wait, Jess—"

"Get out, Y/N," Jessica hissed. "Right now—"

The line abruptly cut out, the room plunging suddenly into total darkness. "Bob," you whispered sharply, panic rising, "power's out."

Bob sat forward quickly, clearly alert. "What's going on?"

"We're in trouble," you whispered urgently, standing quickly. "Fisk's men are coming here. We have to get out."

Bob followed you immediately, eyes wide but determined. "Okay—what do we do?"

"We need to signal the team," you said quickly, moving carefully toward the windows. "Or Jessica—someone." Before you reached the window, you heard a heavy thud from the stairwell. Footsteps echoed loudly, many footsteps, moving quickly.

"They're already here," Bob breathed nervously.

You grabbed his arm tightly. "We need to move. Now."

Quietly, you both hurried toward the hallway, staying close to the walls. Voices sounded from behind, harsh and commanding. "Find the engineer," one barked. "Fisk wants her dealt with."

Bob glanced at you nervously, his voice shaking slightly. "Y/N—"

You squeezed his arm reassuringly. "We got this."

Together, you moved swiftly down the hall, heading toward the emergency stairwell. Suddenly, the door slammed open, two officers appearing with flashlights blazing. "There!" one shouted sharply.

You stumbled back, heart racing. Bob stepped quickly in front of you, blocking their line of sight. "Get behind me," Bob whispered urgently.

The officers approached, weapons raised. "Move aside, kid."

Bob stood firm, hands trembling slightly at his sides. "Leave her alone."

The officer laughed cruelly, stepping forward aggressively. "Or what?"

Bob’s eyes flickered uncertainly, glancing back at you. You nodded slightly, heart pounding, offering him silent reassurance. Bob swallowed, turning back slowly. "Or this," he whispered softly.

Suddenly, a powerful surge of energy erupted from his hands, throwing the officers backward violently. They crashed into the far wall, sliding limply to the ground. You stared, stunned. "Bob—holy shit."

Bob stared down at his shaking hands, eyes wide. "I—I haven't done that since—"

You grabbed his arm gently, pulling him forward. "We have to go."

You moved quickly toward the stairs again, pulse racing in your ears. Footsteps echoed behind you, more officers quickly closing in. "Keep moving!" you whispered sharply.

Gunfire erupted suddenly, bullets narrowly missing as you both scrambled toward cover. You ducked behind the corner wall, breath ragged. Bob pressed close beside you, panic clear on his face. "What now?" he gasped quietly.

You exhaled sharply, mind racing. "We gotta fight."

Bob swallowed nervously, nodding firmly. "Okay."

You both moved out simultaneously, Bob’s powers surging forward again, throwing several officers down the hallway. You grabbed a metal pipe that had been knocked loose, swinging desperately at the nearest attacker. You felt a sharp, painful blow graze your temple, warmth trickling down your cheek. You stumbled back slightly, vision briefly swimming.

"Y/N!" Bob shouted, rushing to your side.

"I'm okay," you gasped, steadying yourself. "Keep going!"

---

Outside, across the city at the docks, the team stood impatiently by empty shipping containers. Yelena narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"This is too easy," she muttered sharply.

Bucky's phone rang sharply, Jessica’s name on the screen.

"Jessica?" Bucky asked cautiously, answering quickly.

"Hey dumbass," Jessica snapped urgently, "it's a goddamn setup. Fisk sent you out there as a distraction. He's got cops hitting the tower. Y/N's in trouble."

Bucky’s expression shifted instantly, panic flaring. "Shit." He spun toward the team, voice harsh. "We have to go—now. It's a setup."

Yelena swore sharply, already sprinting back toward the car. "Move!"

---

At the tower, you and Bob had retreated deeper into the building, ducking into the main conference room. You leaned heavily against the door, breathing ragged. Blood dripped slowly from your temple, staining your collar. Bob watched you anxiously. "You're hurt."

You waved him off weakly, wincing slightly. "It's fine. Just—"

The door shuddered violently, officers pounding loudly. You jumped back, heart hammering. "Y/N," Bob whispered softly, voice shaking. "I'm sorry."

You stared at him gently, stepping closer. "Don't be. You were amazing."

The door splintered abruptly, officers spilling aggressively into the room. You raised the pipe weakly, stepping protectively in front of Bob. "Leave him alone," you hissed sharply. "He's not part of this."

"Fisk only wants you," one officer sneered cruelly, raising his weapon. Suddenly, a series of heavy thuds sounded from the hall, punctuated by muffled shouts and crashes. The officer turned sharply, gun wavering uncertainly.

You smiled faintly, relief flooding you.

"What the—" he muttered uncertainly. The door burst open again, a figure moving swiftly in the darkness, metal arm catching the faint moonlight. Officers crumpled swiftly, dropping heavily to the ground.

Bucky stepped forward quickly, eyes wild with concern. "Y/N?"

You exhaled shakily, stumbling forward. "James."

He caught you instantly, arms tightening protectively. "You're bleeding."

"I'm okay," you whispered weakly, gripping his arm. "Bob—"

"I'm fine," Bob assured quickly, voice shaking slightly. "Thanks for coming."

Yelena stepped swiftly through the door, kicking one of the downed officers sharply. "Suki. Fisk really went all out."

Bucky's grip tightened around you, voice rough with tension. "We're getting you both out of here."

You leaned heavily into him, relief overwhelming you. "Thank you."

He gently touched your bloodied temple, eyes dark with worry. "Always, doll."

You smiled faintly, heart easing at his quiet reassurance. Alexei and Ava quickly cleared the hallway, making sure the threat was gone. John stood quietly by the doorway, nodding firmly. "All clear," John said evenly.

Bucky carefully guided you toward the hall, arm secure around your waist. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."

You nodded slowly, leaning heavily into his reassuring warmth. "Yeah. Okay."

He pressed gently closer, voice quiet and fiercely protective. "You're safe now. I promise."

You exhaled softly, relief finally easing the tight knot in your chest. "I know, James."

Bob followed closely behind, eyes wide but calm. "Thank you all."

Yelena smiled gently, nudging him warmly. "You did good, Bob."

Alexei clapped him heartily on the back. "Yes! Bob is hero tonight."

Bob smiled shyly, flushing slightly. "Thanks."

Bucky kept you close, refusing to let go even as you stepped into the elevator. You leaned softly into him, finally safe.

---

You sat quietly on the edge of your bed, trying to stay perfectly still while Bucky gently cleaned the cut on your temple. His touch was careful, almost hesitant, as though afraid he'd hurt you more. "Sorry," he murmured softly when you winced slightly. His eyes softened further. "I'm almost done."

"It's fine," you said quietly, offering a faint smile. "I'm tougher than I look."

He chuckled softly, carefully applying a small bandage over the wound. "Believe me, I know."

He sat back slightly, his eyes still assessing your face for any further injury. He paused, reaching out to gently brush his thumb over your bruised cheekbone. His jaw tightened slightly, a flash of anger flickering in his gaze. "I should've been here," he muttered quietly, clearly frustrated. "I should've known something wasn't right."

You reached up, lightly taking his hand in yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. "James, it's not your fault. Fisk knew exactly what he was doing."

He exhaled heavily, turning his hand to intertwine your fingers gently. "Maybe. But it won't happen again. Not on my watch."

Your heart fluttered quietly at the conviction in his voice. You gently squeezed his hand again. "I know." He sat beside you quietly, the silence comfortably warm. You glanced toward the closed bedroom door, thinking briefly of Bob. "Bob was amazing tonight," you murmured softly. "He really stepped up."

Bucky smiled faintly, nodding. "Yeah, he did. He's tougher than any of us gave him credit for."

You chuckled gently. "Guess we both surprised you tonight, huh?"

His eyes softened noticeably, his thumb gently brushing along your knuckles. "You've been surprising me since the day we met."

Your cheeks warmed slightly, and you looked down, smiling softly. "That's a good thing, right?"

He chuckled quietly, nudging your shoulder lightly with his own. "Definitely a good thing."

The silence settled again, comfortable and gentle. You hesitated briefly before softly breaking it again. "When Jessica called me, I was so scared," you admitted quietly, glancing up at him slowly. "Not just for me, but for Bob too. Fisk doesn't care who gets hurt as long as he gets what he wants."

Bucky's grip tightened slightly around your hand, voice rough and protective. "We'll handle Fisk. He won't touch you again."

"I trust you," you whispered softly, holding his gaze firmly. "I trust you with everything, James."

His eyes widened slightly, a brief flash of vulnerability crossing his face. Carefully, he raised his free hand, cupping your cheek gently. "I promise," he murmured firmly. "I won't let you down."

You smiled warmly, leaning slightly into his touch. "You haven't yet."

His thumb brushed softly over your skin, gaze lingering gently on your face. Slowly, he leaned closer, his forehead lightly resting against yours. Your breath hitched quietly, heart suddenly pounding. "James?" you whispered softly.

"Yeah?" he murmured, voice rough and low.

Your pulse hammered in your chest, nerves and anticipation mingling warmly. "Are you going to kiss me, or do I have to do it first?"

He smiled faintly, lips brushing gently against yours. "Don't rush me, doll. I'm getting there."

You chuckled softly, warmth flooding your chest. "Sorry. Please continue."

He laughed softly against your lips, finally closing the distance fully. The kiss was gentle but firm, his metal hand carefully cupping your cheek, his other hand tightly intertwined with yours.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly, lips still just inches from yours. "I've been wanting to do that for way too long."

You smiled warmly, heart racing softly. "Me too."

He kissed you again, softer this time, lingering gently. When he finally drew back, he rested his forehead lightly against yours once more, exhaling softly. "You should get some rest," he murmured gently, voice full of warmth. "You've had a hell of a night."

"Stay," you whispered softly, heart fluttering nervously. "Please?"

His eyes softened gently, fingers squeezing yours reassuringly. "Of course, sweetheart."

You shifted further onto the bed, and he carefully moved beside you, pulling you gently against his chest. You sighed softly, relaxing fully against him, feeling safer than you had in days. "Goodnight, James," you murmured quietly, eyes fluttering closed.

He pressed a soft kiss against your forehead, voice warm and protective. "Goodnight, doll." You drifted easily to sleep, secure and peaceful, his steady heartbeat beneath your cheek.

---

The next morning, you woke slowly, blinking softly in the bright sunlight streaming through your windows. Bucky’s steady breathing was warm against your hair, his arm wrapped securely around your waist. You shifted slightly, turning carefully to face him, your movement waking him gently.

"Morning," you murmured softly, smiling shyly.

He blinked slowly, lips curving gently into a sleepy smile. "Morning, sweetheart. Sleep okay?"

"Better than I have in weeks," you admitted quietly, snuggling gently against his chest.

"Good," he murmured softly, holding you closer. "Me too."

A sudden loud knock sounded sharply on your door, startling you both. "Hey!" Yelena called loudly from the hallway. "We have breakfast. You two done making googly eyes yet?"

Bucky groaned softly, dropping his forehead lightly against your shoulder. "I’m gonna kill her."

You laughed softly, gently kissing his cheek. "It's fine. She means well."

He raised his head, smirking faintly. "She’s a menace."

"You adore her," you teased lightly, nudging him gently.

"Don’t tell her that," he muttered dryly, reluctantly sitting up.

You smiled softly, reaching out to gently take his hand again. "Thank you. For staying."

His gaze softened warmly, fingers gently squeezing yours. "Always."

Another knock sounded impatiently. "If you two aren't out in five minutes, Alexei will eat all the waffles!"

Bucky sighed heavily, shaking his head as he stood, gently tugging you up with him. "Duty calls."

You chuckled lightly, leaning comfortably against him as you walked toward the door. "It's never boring, at least."

He smiled gently, glancing down at you fondly. "Definitely not."

You both stepped out into the hallway, met immediately by Yelena’s amused gaze. "Finally," she drawled dryly, smirking faintly. "We thought you’d never emerge."

"You're hilarious," Bucky muttered sarcastically, gently guiding you past her.

She raised an eyebrow knowingly, falling into step beside you. "Glad you finally took my advice, Barnes."

He rolled his eyes slightly, voice flat. "Yeah, thanks, Yelena. Couldn’t have done it without you."

"You're welcome," she replied smugly, clearly pleased.

You laughed softly, gently squeezing his hand reassuringly. "Come on. Let's get waffles before Alexei actually eats them all."

Bucky chuckled softly, relaxing further as the three of you stepped into the lively kitchen. Alexei greeted you enthusiastically, mouth already stuffed full of waffles. "Y/N! Barnes!" Alexei boomed cheerfully, crumbs flying. "Waffles today—excellent cooking from Bob!"

Bob smiled shyly from the stove. "Morning."

"Morning," you replied warmly, moving closer to him. "You okay?"

He nodded gently, offering a faint smile. "Better now."

"Good," you murmured softly, nudging him gently. "Thanks for breakfast."

He flushed slightly, ducking his head. "Least I could do."

Bucky stepped beside you again, his hand gently resting at the small of your back. "How you holding up, Bob?"

Bob smiled shyly, clearly grateful. "Pretty good, actually. Thanks."

Alexei loudly interrupted again, waving a waffle around dramatically. "Bob is a true warrior! We must celebrate properly."

John sighed tiredly from his spot at the counter, sipping his coffee. "It's eight in the morning, Alexei. Give it a rest."

Alexei scoffed indignantly. "Never too early for celebration."

Yelena rolled her eyes softly, sliding gracefully onto a stool. "It's definitely too early for you."

You laughed quietly, leaning warmly into Bucky’s side as the team bantered playfully around you. Bucky gently squeezed your waist, voice soft and warm. "You okay?"

You nodded gently, smiling up at him. "Perfect."

He smiled faintly, eyes softening warmly as he pressed a gentle kiss to your temple. "Good."

Around you, the lively kitchen buzzed happily, warm sunlight pouring gently through the windows. For the first time in a long time, everything felt safe, comfortable, and perfectly right.

Until the elevator dinged.

You glanced toward it, eyebrows furrowing slightly as the doors slid open. Jessica stepped out, scanning the room sharply until her gaze landed firmly on you. Her eyes immediately narrowed, her shoulders visibly relaxing as she stalked quickly forward.

"Jesus Christ, Y/N," Jessica snapped, ignoring everyone else entirely. "You couldn’t answer your phone? I've been calling you for hours."

You winced slightly. "I'm sorry, Jess. It was… a long night."

Jessica’s eyes narrowed even further as she took in the bandage on your temple. "Clearly. Are you okay?"

"I’m okay," you said quickly. "Just a bit bruised."

Bucky stepped slightly closer, hand still resting protectively on your lower back. Jessica’s gaze instantly flickered toward him, expression shifting into something sharply assessing. "You let her get hurt?" Jessica asked coldly, eyes locked on Bucky.

He frowned slightly, jaw tightening. "We got back as fast as we could."

Jessica stared him down. "Not fast enough."

"Jess," you cut in gently, touching her arm softly. "They saved me—and Bob. Fisk caught us off guard, not them."

Jessica’s expression eased a fraction, eyes flickering to you again. "Bob?"

Bob waved awkwardly from behind Alexei. "Hi."

Jessica blinked once, clearly unimpressed. "Him?"

"He’s tougher than he looks," you assured gently. "He had my back."

Bob smiled shyly, straightening slightly. "I did my best."

Jessica exhaled sharply, clearly still irritated. "Fine."

Yelena leaned casually against the counter, smirking faintly. "You must be Jessica. We've heard so much."

Jessica’s eyes flickered toward Yelena, unimpressed. "Funny. I haven't heard anything about you."

Yelena’s smile widened slightly. "Yelena. Nice to finally meet you."

Jessica hummed dryly, eyes narrowing again. "You're the one who thought it was a good idea to let Y/N spar with your weird glow-stick bracelet?"

Yelena shrugged innocently. "It was a controlled environment."

Jessica scoffed. "Sure it was."

Alexei stepped forward, grinning broadly. "Jessica! Y/N’s fierce detective friend. Welcome!"

Jessica stared blankly at him. "Who’s this?"

"Alexei Shostakov, Red Guardian—pleasure to meet you!" he said cheerfully, offering his hand.

Jessica ignored the handshake entirely, turning back toward you. "You sure you want to stay here?"

You laughed softly, gently nudging Jessica’s arm. "I’m fine, Jess. Promise."

Jessica sighed heavily, clearly still annoyed. "Yeah, well, next time maybe text or something. I thought you died." Bucky tensed slightly beside you. Jessica instantly caught it, eyes narrowing at him again. "Relax, Barnes. If she was dead, you'd know."

"Appreciate the reassurance," Bucky muttered dryly.

Jessica shrugged lightly, finally relaxing slightly. "You’re welcome."

You smiled warmly, nudging her again gently. "Thanks for checking up on me."

Jessica rolled her eyes softly, finally softening fully. "Always."

She paused briefly, glancing pointedly at Bucky’s hand still gently resting against your back. Her gaze snapped sharply up to meet yours, one eyebrow arching in silent question. Your cheeks warmed slightly, but you held her gaze calmly. "We’ll talk about it later."

Jessica hummed dryly, eyes flickering briefly to Bucky. "We definitely will."

Bucky cleared his throat slightly, clearly uncomfortable. "Coffee?"

Jessica stared flatly at him. "You offering?"

Bucky sighed lightly. "Seems polite."

She continued her staring before replying, “you wouldn’t happen to have whiskey? Or bourbon?”

Bucky blinked once. “It’s eight in the morning.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow, unbothered. “Exactly.”

Alexei brightened immediately, waving his hand enthusiastically. “We have bourbon! Come, Jessica, we celebrate your bravery!”

Jessica eyed Alexei skeptically. “Celebrate?”

“Your successful rescue mission!” Alexei announced loudly, grabbing the bottle from the cabinet. “And also your magnificent arrival. Very dramatic. We drink to your courage!”

Jessica glanced at you flatly. “This guy serious?”

You laughed softly, shrugging lightly. “He’s always serious.”

Jessica sighed deeply, but accepted the glass Alexei eagerly poured. “Fine. But only because I just spent all night thinking you were dead.”

“Thanks, Jess,” you murmured softly, leaning against Bucky’s shoulder gently.

Bob smiled shyly at Jessica, still lingering nervously by the stove. “Would you like a waffle?”

Jessica blinked at him, expression unreadable. “You cooked?”

He nodded quickly. “Yeah. Sort of a tradition after... stressful situations.”

Jessica hesitated briefly before nodding slowly. “Sure. I like traditions.”

Bob smiled brightly, quickly handing her a plate. “Hope you like it.”

Jessica took a bite, eyebrows raising slightly in surprise. “Not bad.”

Bob flushed slightly, clearly pleased. “Thanks.”

John eyed Jessica cautiously, arms folded. “So you’re the private investigator?”

Jessica glanced at him dryly. “And you’re the disgraced ex-Captain America?”

John’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Walker’s fine.”

She shrugged lightly. “Jones.”

Ava smirked faintly from beside Yelena. “You have a way with people.”

Jessica shot Ava a flat look. “So do you, Ghost.”

Ava raised an eyebrow, slightly impressed. “You’ve done your homework.”

Jessica hummed quietly, sipping her bourbon again. “Comes with the territory.”

Alexei clapped Jessica heartily on the back, making her cough slightly. “You are impressive woman, Jones. Private detective, rescuer, fighter—like Y/N. She fixes everything!”

Jessica glanced at you dryly. “Yeah, she’s annoyingly competent.”

You smiled softly, gently squeezing Bucky’s hand, voice warm and teasing. “You love me.”

Jessica sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes affectionately. “Unfortunately.”

Bucky chuckled quietly, relaxing further beside you. “Glad we agree.”

Jessica eyed him sharply, feigning annoyance. “Careful, Barnes. You’re not off my shit-list yet.”

“Duly noted,” Bucky murmured dryly.

Yelena smirked again, clearly amused. “I think I like you, Jessica.”

Jessica shot her a mild glare. “Please don’t.”

Alexei beamed proudly, raising his glass cheerfully. “A toast! To new friendships, surviving Fisk’s men, and waffles!”

Jessica sighed heavily, but raised her glass resignedly. “Sure. To waffles.”

You laughed softly, raising your own coffee mug gently. “To waffles.”

Bucky smiled faintly, gently squeezing your waist. “To waffles.”

The rest of the team echoed the toast warmly, Alexei cheerfully pouring another round of bourbon despite Jessica’s mild protests. Jessica leaned closer, voice low as she glanced meaningfully between you and Bucky. “Seriously, details. You’re telling me everything later.”

You smiled shyly, leaning further into Bucky’s warmth. “Promise.”

She hummed quietly, finally softening again as she took another sip. “Good.”

[booksandteaandtears]

Teaching Hospital

Michael 'Dr. Robby' Robinavitch x f!prosecutor!reader

Summary: You're a prosecutor and end up in the Pitt with a dislocated shoulder. You're a teaching case for Javadi and Dr. Robby supervises. Supervision turns into flirting quite easily

genre: pure fluff, smart and older female reader, flirty!Robinavitch, reader takes the first step, Dana is a wingwoman, Javadi is scared she'll mess up

about 1.4 k words

masterlist and I wrote a part 2

You had walked into the Pitt, your left arm supporting you right, two cops trailing you with worry. You'd told them several times already that it was your own fault for deciding to hop aboard their patrol. After two decades of relying on police investigations in the courtroom, you had wanted to see more of the process, but you were regretting it now.

You knew a lot of police work was dealing with rowdy drunks, even around noon on a weekday, so you'd stayed back when the cops had stopped outside a bar downtown. You had been so focused on what was happening in front of you that you hadn't seen the guy coming from your right. And now you were in a busy ER, holding your arm because it felt like it was going to get ripped from its socket.

Once you'd been triaged, given a sling and the doctors had decided you weren't badly injured, the cops you'd been with apologised and continued their shift. Your jacket had been cut open to access your injury, so the remaining half was draped over your right shoulder. The painkillers started to work after a while. You sat on a sticky plastic chair, surrounded by the nightly clientele of the Pitt, wishing you'd brought your laptop. You made do with your phone, pinching your eyes to read through the case you'd been sent that morning.

You were so caught up in it, that you didn't notice a deep voice calling your last name until he was right in front of you. A pair of soft brown eyes was looking at you, with a nice looking face to match. "Shoulder that needs resetting, that's you right?" He asked. "Sure, yes, sorry!" You apologised. "I got caught up in work, barely notice anything around me when I get into it." The doctor laughed softly at you and gestured towards an open bed. "You take a seat, I'm going to get a medical student and then we'll get about putting your shoulder back in the right way." You nodded and shuffled yourself on the bed awkwardly, trying not to make wild moves and make your arm worse.

The doctor came back with a petite girl who was smiling sweetly at you, but you could see the fear in her eyes. "Right," the bearded doctor said, "I'm Dr. Robinavitch, this is Dr. Javadi, our med student. She put a hip back in place last week, so she'll be trying your arm this time, this being a teaching hospital and all. I'm just here for support." Javadi cleared her throat and looked at the chart. "You've been given pain medication when you came in, correct?" You nodded and smiled at the girl. She was radiating anxiety and you could see her swallowing her fear. "It says here you were trailing with the police when someone knocked you down, is that correct." You nodded again. "And you work as a prosecutor here in Pittsburgh?" You sighed, "Yup, I got myself into this mess trying to get some hands-on experience." Dr. Robinavitch smirked from behind his med student. "Guess you're not trying that again anytime soon?" You laughed, wincing slightly as you moved your arm. "I'll be sticking to court for the next while, I think."

You smiled back at the doctor while Javadi prodded around your shoulder softly. His brown eyes focused on the student's hands, giving soft directions on what she should feel for. You were enjoying yourself, spending some time looking at him. Smart, ambitious men had always been your type. Bonus points if they looked cute. You startled and gave a small moan when Javadi prodded a particularly tender part of your shoulder, and she jumped back in worry.

You tried to make light of the situation to take some of the stress away. "Don't worry, Dr. Javadi, if you hurt me I'll only prosecute you for injuring a public official." You smiled up at her and saw that your joke did not have the desired effect. All the blood had left Javadi's face.

Dr. Robinavitch cleared his throat and Javadi turned to face him. "Go get the type of sling she'll need, take a breath, then you'll put it back." Javadi nodded and rushed off. "Sorry," Dr. Robinavitch said, "teaching hospital means teaching moments sometimes." You smiled up at him. "That's alright, Dr. Robinavitch, that's how we all were, those first years on the job. I called a judge mom in my first month, was about to quit then and there. Glad I stuck to it though." He laughed. "Dr. Robby." You raised your eyebrow. "What?" "It's Dr. Robby. At least for people who tell me their embarrassing stories within ten minutes of meeting me." You smiled at him and tasted the name on your lips. "Dr. Robby it is." You could swear you saw his ears go slightly red.

Robby tried to focus on something that wasn't your face because he could feel his ears turning red. Unfortunately for him, that was the moment the remains of your jacket slid of your shoulder, and he was staring at your collarbones beneath the spaghetti straps of you tanktop. Great, now his whole face would be turning red. You shivered and tried to grab your jacket from the floor, pulling a face as you twisted your shoulder. Robby reached forward on instinct and gently guided you upright again. He zipped his hoodie down and draped it over your shoulders. "Here, take mine. Yours isn't worth much and I've got an extra in my locker." The smell of laundry, cologne and something manly hit you. You liked it. "Thanks, I'll give it back before I leave." You said, smiling up at him once more.

Dana caught Javadi rushing back from the supply closet. She startled again and looked towards the charge nurse expectantly. "You just stay here for a minute longer, darling." Collins stopped next to Dana, both looking towards your bed, where Dr. Robby had rolled his chair slightly more towards you. "Do my eyes deceive me..." Collins started. "Or is Cap flirting with that poor girl?" Dana finished. "I think you're right. He's actually smiling at her. Oh look, she's flirting back, putting her hand on his arm. Poor sad boy, he's turning bright red. And my god, is that his hoodie that she's wearing?"

Javadi came back and set your shoulder expertly, earning her a nod from Dr. Robby and many thanks from you. You were sorry when they were called into an incoming trauma, leaving a nurse with you to discharge you. You tried to hang around for a while, but soon came to the realisation that they needed the bed. You hung near the desk for another ten minutes, hoping that Dr. Robby would emerge from the trauma room soon.

"You waiting for Robby?" A blond woman stood next to you, sipping a cup of coffee. "Yeah, just wanted to give him my thanks." The woman pulled up an eyebrow. "I thought Javadi treated you?" You sighed. "You caught me. Just wanted to ask Dr. Robby some questions." "Questions about what? Anything to do with that hoodie you're wearing?" Dana took a sip and stared at you. "Well, I guess straight forward is your way, ma'am. I appreciate that, 'cause it's my way as well. I have two questions mainly. If he's single, and if yes, if he's free for a date somewhere this week. I have a nice bottle of wine that needs opening but I can't really make it work with this arm." You pointed at your sling. The nurse smiled back at you. "I think a bottle of wine is just what that man needs. Can't help you with his schedule, I'm no personal assistant, but I can give you his cell number if that's of any help?" She winked at you. "Just tell him Dana gave the number, cause he's too much of a chicken to have done it himself. And tell him I like you and your straightforward ways." You flashed a bright smile at her. "Will do Dana, thank you. I'll tell him you're the best wingwoman I've ever met."

You were still wearing Dr. Robby's hoodie when left the Pitt, clutching a post-it with his phone number in your good hand.

[paddockletters]

only girl (in the word) | lando norris

pairing: lando norris x reader summary: Lando and y/n enjoy a night out at a club with friends, but when some girls try to get close, he doesn't allow it and gives you your place as always. author's note: I took inspiration from a tiktok that I saw some time ago and I wanted to write it, so I hope you like it 😭😭

The lights of the nightclub flickered as the music pulsed through the room, blending with the laughter and chatter of the crowd. I leaned back against the VIP section, sipping my drink and watching Lando at the DJ booth with Martin. Both of them were having a blast, messing around with the controller and hyping up the crowd. Nights like this had become a regular thing for us—a little bit of fun, music, and good company with our tight-knit circle.

Even though Lando was always in the spotlight, we had managed to keep our relationship pretty private. Only our closest circle knew. It wasn't that we were hiding it, but having a relationship in the spotlight of F1 could be… overwhelming. It allowed us to just be us without the pressure of prying eyes and the constant speculation from fans or media.

I was watching him goof off with Martin when I felt someone nudge me. I turned to see Max (Fewtrell) , one of Lando’s closest friends, grinning as he leaned over to speak, his voice barely audible over the music.

"He's having the time of his life up there, isn't he?" Max said with a chuckle, motioning toward Lando, who was pretending to DJ like a pro.

"He really is. I’m just waiting for him to mess something up.” I laughed, nodding.

Max laughed, his eyes scanning the dance floor before he leaned closer.

"You know, it’s funny—he never really used to like these kinds of nights before you."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah," Max nodded. "He’d always be the one leaving early, saying he had training or a race coming up. But ever since you guys started hanging out, he sticks around longer. Seems to enjoy it more. I think you’re a good influence on him."

"Maybe I’m just more fun than his training sessions." I smiled at the thought.

"Definitely more fun," Max teased, giving me a wink before heading off to join a few other friends.

I took another sip of my drink, feeling the warmth spread through me, both from the alcohol and Max’s words. I glanced back toward the DJ booth, catching Lando’s eye as he looked over at me, a playful grin on his face. He gave me a quick wink before returning to the music, his fingers moving over the controls like he knew exactly what he was doing.

It was then that I noticed a group of girls edging closer to him. One in particular seemed determined to get his attention, her phone already in hand, angling for a selfie or a picture with him. She was bold, stepping right up to him, bottle in hand, and attempting to take the one Lando was holding.

I watched as Lando paused, his smile fading slightly. He gently pushed her hand away, not rough, but firm enough to make his point. I could see him looking around, scanning the crowd until his eyes found mine. His expression softened immediately, and without hesitation, he motioned for me to come closer.

I could feel the girls' eyes on me as I made my way over. Their glances were sharp, the kind of looks that were meant to make you feel out of place, but I wasn’t about to let that ruin the night. Lando didn’t say a word when I reached him, just slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer, his body pressing against mine in a protective, almost possessive way.

"Hey," he whispered into my ear, his breath warm against my skin. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine."

"Good," he said, leaning in closer. "Because I want you right here with me."

He pulled me in even tighter, and I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment, letting the music and the energy of the club surround us. Lando kissed the top of my head, a small gesture, but one that made me feel like the only person in the room.

Just then, Martin leaned over, grinning at us.

"Oi, Lando! You better be careful up here, mate. You’re making her fall for you all over again!"

"That’s the plan, mate!" Lando laughed, his arm never leaving my waist.

"You’re such a dork." I rolled my eyes, playfully nudging him.

"But I’m your dork," he replied with a cheeky grin.

As the night wore on, we danced, laughed, and enjoyed every second. The crowd seemed to disappear, and it was just us, lost in our own little world. But every now and then, I’d catch one of the girls from earlier casting a glance our way, her lips curled in a smug smile as if she was waiting for me to crack under the pressure of being in Lando’s orbit.

It didn’t bother me, not really. Lando had always made sure I knew my place in his life. He wasn’t the type to flirt with random girls or let anyone come between us. But I couldn’t deny that the whispers, the glances, they got under my skin just a little.

After a while, Lando leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "You wanna get out of here?"

I nodded, grateful for the offer. The night had been fun, but I was ready for something quieter, something just for us.

"Yeah, let’s go."

He grabbed my hand, guiding me through the crowd, past the girls who had been eyeing us all night. One of them whispered something to her friend as we passed, but I didn’t catch it. I didn’t need to. The look on her face said enough.

As we stepped outside, the cool night air hit my skin, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Lando squeezed my hand, pulling me close.

"You okay?" he asked, concern flickering in his eyes.

I hesitated for a moment, debating whether to brush it off, but decided against it.

"It’s just… sometimes it’s hard being around people who don’t really get us, you know?"

Lando frowned, his thumb brushing gently over the back of my hand. "Did something happen inside?"

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "It’s nothing, really. Just some girls being… well, girls."

"What did they say?" Lando stopped walking, turning to face me fully.

I shook my head, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

"It’s not what they said, it’s just... their looks. Like they were waiting for me to mess up or something. I don’t know. I guess I’m not used to it."

Lando’s jaw tightened, his hand gripping mine a little harder.

"You know you don’t have to worry about that, right? I’m with you. Only you."

I smiled, touched by his words.

"I know. I just—sometimes it feels like I’m always being watched. Like I’m never enough."

Lando’s expression softened, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. "You’re more than enough. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you aren’t. Especially not them."

I hugged him back, feeling the warmth of his body against mine, and for the first time that night, I felt at ease. With Lando by my side, the whispers, the looks—they didn’t matter.

As we pulled apart, he leaned down and kissed me gently, his lips lingering on mine for just a moment longer than usual. When he pulled back, he grinned.

"Come on, let’s go home. I think we are going have a more fun night there."

"Yeah, let’s get out of here." I laughed softly, nodding in agreement.

And with that, hand in hand, we left the nightclub behind, ready to end the night our way—together.

[dreamwritesimagines]

Sunshine [6] - Middle of the Night

AN: My loves, thank you so so much for your wonderful support and lovely comments and HCs! ❤️ You’re amazing! ❤️

I hope you like this as well, and please don’t forget to tell me what you think, thank you! 🥰

Pairing: Logan Howlett x Female!Reader

Summary: Drunk calls can lead to sweet moments.

Word Count: 3500 

CW: Violence, explicit language, mentions of sex, drinking, getting drunk, throwing up

Series Masterlist

To be completely honest, getting drunk was not in the plans tonight.

You were supposed to have one drink and go home but in your defense your best friend had tricked you with that two for one deal and now you were on your fifth cocktail, giggling at the story of her latest date.

“Listen, if you like him, I can totally normalize him living with his ex for you,” you told her and she made a face.

“How?”

“The rental market is in shambles.”

She let out a laugh, then shook her head.

“Nope.”

“Capitalism is fucking all of us—”

“We’re not doing that,” she said. “I mean how would you feel if Logan was living with his ex?”

“Logan hasn’t asked me out,” you pointed out. “Which is more reason to believe he doesn’t like me like that.”

“The guy maimed three people for you!”

“It could’ve been a friendly gesture!”

She threw her head back. “You’re not serious.”

You shrugged your shoulders, then downed your drink and motioned for another one.

“Listen,” you said, your mind all fuzzy. “Do I want Logan? Yes. Do I dream about us living happily ever after? Yes. Do I have very detailed fantasies about him breaking my bed? Also yes. But we don’t—”

“I’d just like to remind you that while you don’t have enough money to buy a new bed,” she interfered. “I will buy you a new one if you break it while the hot lumberjack is fucking your brains out.”

“Thank you, you’re a true friend,” you said solemnly as the waitress brought you your cocktail and you thanked her, then turned to Julie. “Jamie wants him to be terrible in bed so that I’ll snap out of this.”

“Doubt it,” she said. “The guy has been around since the mid-1800s, I’d assume he has some experience.”

You tilted your head, then gasped.

“Oh my God!” you said, reaching out to grab her arm over the table, almost knocking over her glass but she caught it before her drink could spill on the table. “What if Jamie is right?”

“I literally just said—”

“No, he was alive in mid-1800s!” you said, making her frown.

“Yeah?”

“What if he is like Edward Cullen and waiting for marriage?”

“That man is a whore!” Julie snapped, flailing her hands. “I’ve heard the way he speaks to you, he’s a slut—there’s no fucking way. He’ll break your bed any day now.”

You heaved a dramatic sigh. “To repeat, he hasn’t made a move.”

“To repeat, I think maiming three guys for you counts as making a move.”

You sucked on the straw of your cocktail, the happy warmth of alcohol buzzing in your head.

“So you think he likes me back?”

“I’m pretty sure he likes you back.”

 You grabbed some popcorn from the bowl on the table.

“Yeah well,” you said. “I guess we’ll see.”

“Why don’t you ask him out?”

You pulled your brows together. “I can’t do that Julie!”

“Why not?” she asked. “Is it the 1800s? Will people call you a harlot in the town square?”

“No!” you said. “No it’s just…”

“When was the last time you got laid?”

“That has nothing to with the situation,” you said and took a huge sip of your cocktail, making her grin.

“Remind me, when was it?”

“It’s been some time.”

“So why aren’t you climbing Logan like a tree?”

“I’m trying!” you whined and she motioned at you.

“Drink your cocktail. The whole thing.”

You nodded and downed your drink, your insides getting even warmer as you put your glass on the table. Julie grinned, and pushed your phone in your direction.

“Now call him.”

“Julie!”

“Just ask him out!” she said. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

“He could hang up on me.”

“He’s not gonna hang up on you,” she said. “Listen, that guy has been picking you up from work, calling you princess, saving you from creeps and sniffing your hair...”

“We’re not so sure about the last part.”

“Yes we are,” she said, pointing a finger at you. “Call him. You’ll be too much of a chicken to ask him out when you’re sober, so do it when you’re drunk.”

You let out a whine, then took the phone into your hands, heaving a sigh.

“What if I’m not his type?”

Julie rolled her eyes. “Somebody really needs to fuck you in front of a mirror.”

You scrunched up your face. “Oh I could never do that.”

“You should, it’s fun,” she said and nodded at the phone in your hand. “Call him.”

“But—”

“Do you want to fuck him, yes or no?”

“I want us to live happily ever after!” you said and paused for a second. “And yeah I want to fuck him. A lot. Day and night, multiple positions.”

“Call him.”

You took a deep breath, then nodded to yourself.

“I’ll be back,” you said and stood up from the chair, stumbling as the room spun around you but you grabbed the back of the chair and sat down again. “Shit, I’m too drunk.”

“It’s not that loud here,” she said. “You don’t have to go outside.”

“Okay,” you said and found Logan’s name, then touched it and took the phone to your ear, your heart pacing in your chest. You drummed your fingernails on the table, frowning to yourself, then lowered the phone.

“He’s not answering,” you said and ended the call, then turned to Julie. “Maybe he’s busy or something?”

“Yeah, didn’t you say they went on missions?”

“That’s what I heard,” you said and heaved a sigh. “Oh well. It was worth a shot.”

Julie shrugged her shoulders.

“Yeah,” she said and thought for a moment. “We should get shots.”

You gasped, and clapped your hands together.

“Yeah!” you said. “Yeah let’s get shots!”

                                                   *

Since Julie’s place was closer, you had split the taxi fee and dropped her off first before the taxi took you to your place. As it turned out, the shots were a bad idea because you had to rush to the bathroom to throw up as soon as you stepped foot into your apartment, but after you brushed your teeth and washed your face, you were still not sleepy.

On the contrary, you were pretty energetic.

…And hungry.

Starving, actually.

You hummed to yourself as you opened the fridge, then tilted your head. Nothing in your fridge looked good enough, so you grabbed your phone to order, but then scoffed when you saw the delivery fee.

“Absolutely not,” you murmured and grabbed your jacket to put it on, then grabbed your keys before walking out of the apartment. The buzz of the alcohol was still in your system despite you throwing up, so you hopped down the stairs and stepped out of the apartment.

Walking did help the nausea and your head spinning, and you were just passing by a shop when the fish tank caught your eye, making you stop in your steps.

Fish.

Interesting.

You stared at the shop window, nearly hypnotized by the lively colors and the fish swimming in the huge fish tank behind the glass but snapped out of it when your phone started vibrating in your pocket.

Logan.

“Oh fuck,” you muttered to yourself as you stared at the name flashing on the screen, your breath hitching. “Oh fuck, oh fuck…”

You took a deep breath, and touched the screen, then took the phone to your ears, your heart pacing in your chest.

“Hey!” you said, your voice going a pitch higher. “Um, what’s up?”

“Hi princess,” he said, his deep voice making you bite at your lip. “Didn’t hear you call, sorry about that.”

“No problem,” you said with a giggle. “Jesus, fish are pretty. Did you know they were pretty? I didn’t really pay attention to them but—oh my God. I’m so buying Theo fish.”

“What?”

“No seriously, he wanted it, and these things are tiny and it’s not that hard to take care of fish, is it? I mean it can’t be harder than taking care of orchids, Nik bought some for me and those things are goddamn suicidal, I tell you.”

“…Are you drunk?”

“Tipsy,” you corrected him as you fished your gloss out of your purse to apply it, staring at the window. “Tipsy-ish? This store is open right? Yeah, I see someone inside—”

“Hold on, you’re drunk and outside?” he asked. “Alone?”

“Yeah but it’s fine,” you said. “I stepped outside for some fresh air and I’m gonna get food but I got distracted by this aquarium—I’ll buy two fish and then put one of those fake trees and stuff into the tank—”

“Stay put, I’ll be there.”

“You don’t even know where I am though?” you said, looking around the street. “I’m close to my apartment but like I said, I need to eat something and Theo needs fish—”

“I’ll follow your scent, stay put,” he said and hung up, making you hum, and then put the phone into your pocket and entered the shop to smile at the owner.

“Good evening sir,” you said. “I need one orange and one white fish please. My son will name them Cheeto and Popcorn.”

                                               *

Logan found you as you were leaving the fast food place, holding the paper bag full of French fries tight with the small fish tank tucked in your other arm. You put the paper bag on the lid on the tank as the roar of the motorcycle made you lift your head and you looked over your shoulder.

Jesus Christ, he was too hot.

You could swear there were flying hearts circling your head as he got off the motorcycle and made his way to you, his herculean figure making you sigh before you looked up at his handsome face, your heartbeat getting faster.

��Hi sweetheart.”

You blinked up at him, still hugging the tank to your chest. “Hi. You’re very handsome.”

That made the corners of his mouth twitch into a small smile before he tilted his head.

“How much did you drink, again?”

“Um…” you bit inside your cheek, looking up at the dark sky to calculate in your head. “Six cocktails and a couple of shots. The shots were Julie’s idea though.”

“Right.”

“Hold this,” you said, pushing the tank into his arms before grabbing the paper bag to open it. “Ugh, I’m starving! Are you hungry?”

“Nope,” he said, still smiling. “Go ahead.”

You hummed a song to yourself as you dug into the fries, and cleared your throat, trying to focus.

“You didn’t have to drive all the way here,” you said. “My place isn’t far.”

“Mm hm, and you’re drunk.”

“Tipsy,” you corrected him as you chewed on the fries with him walking beside you. “I swear to God, potatoes are the best vegetable to grace this earth—what were you doing when I called? Am I keeping you from something?”

“Nope,” he said. “I was walking around the halls to make sure everything was alright, I didn’t take my phone with me. How about you? Fun night?”

“So much fun!” you said as you popped a couple of fries into your mouth. “Julie is seeing this guy—well, they slept together, and apparently he’s still living with his ex and it’s like a huge red flag for her, but seriously the rents are insane nowadays so I don’t—Logan, what are your thoughts on premarital sex?”

That made his head whip around and he stared at you while you calmly chewed on the fries, waiting for his answer.

“…Huge fan of it?” he said after a beat and you nodded your head.

“Same here,” you said as you started walking again. “Did you—um, so do you count as Victorian or Georgian? I always mix those two up for some reason.”

He pulled his brows together. “What?”

“I watch a lot of period movies, I think yearning is the most romantic thing in the entire world, that hand scene in Pride and Prejudice changed me as a person,” you said as you reached into the paper bag to pull out more fries. “Um, I have a lot of questions for you and I know you’re this cool and mysterious guy so you can just say yes or no.”

He stifled a laugh. “Sure thing, hit me.”

“Did anyone give you their handkerchief?”

“No.”

You gasped. “No one gave you their handkerchief? What a bunch of assholes!”

“I had other priorities in mind during those times, sweetheart.”

“Yearning is a priority, Logan,” you said wistfully. “Next question, were you ever accidentally engaged?”

“How does one get accidentally engaged?”

“People see you talking to each other without a chaperone.”

“What?” he asked with a grimace. “I don’t—no.”

“No wonder why you like modern times better, now that I think about it,” you murmured as you looked into the bag, then heaved a sigh when you saw only a couple of fries in it. You grabbed them and threw them into your mouth, then scrunched up the paper bag to throw it into the nearest trash can. “Do you like Cheeto and Popcorn?”

Logan pulled his brows together. “Come again?”

“The fish!” you pointed at the small fish tank he was holding in one hand and he looked down at it, then chuckled.

“Right,” he said. “They look nice, sweetheart.”

“Right? Theo will be very happy, and—is there any rules against pets at the school? Because he will want to take them there.”

“We can bend the rules a little for him, it’s fine,” he said, making you smile at him brightly.

“Aw thank you!” you said as you licked your lips, then looked around before turning to Logan. “Logan?”

His eyes held a soft light in them. “Hm?”

“Can I see your claws?”

He frowned slightly but unsheathed his claws. “Why? I don’t see any threats, do you—”

He was cut off when you held onto his arm to lift his hand a little to see the blur reflection of your face on the metal, then dabbed at your lip gloss that had smudged a little with the tip of your finger. You could feel Logan staring at you so you lifted your gaze for a moment.

“What?”

“…You—you know I’ve hurt a lot of people with them, right?”

“And now you’re helping me fix my makeup with them,” you said with a shrug of your shoulders. “Things can be of multiuse.”

He didn’t comment on it as you rubbed your lips together, then dropped his hand to beam at him. “Thanks!”

“No problem,” he managed to say with a small chuckle. “You are something else, you know that?”

“I’m taking that as a compliment,” you said happily but before you could thank him again, you noticed two guys staring at him, no doubt because of the claws. You could feel the sudden rush of anger sparking to life as you narrowed your eyes at them.

“What?” you snapped, making them snap out of the haze, exchanging glances. Logan raised his brows, his lips twitching as if he was amused. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing,” one of them said. “Just claws—”

“Yeah, so?” you asked him as you took a step towards him but Logan put his hand over the back of your neck, gently pulling you back, looking like he was trying his hardest to keep a straight face and not burst into laughter as the guy stepped back. “What, do you wanna fight or something?”

“…No?”

“Then fucking act like it, how about that?”

“Your girl is aggressive, bro.”

“That she is,” Logan said, rubbing his thumb over the back of your neck. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

“It’s rude to stare, okay?” you told them over your shoulder as you started walking beside Logan. “No seriously like, didn’t your mom teach you anything? Call her, let’s see what she’ll say about you staring at strangers!”

Logan pursed his lips together to control the chuckle vibrating in his chest before he cleared his throat.

“Unbelievable,” you grumbled. “No seriously, even Theo knows not to stare at people and he still believes in Santa! That’s no excuse, what the fuck was that? You should’ve let me kick his ass!”

“I think you scared them off enough.”

“Good!”

“Do you always look for fights when you’re drunk?”

“I’m tipsy and I have zero tolerance for disrespect, Logan,” you pointed out. “I mean honestly, who raised these boys?”

Logan bit back a smile, then nodded in the direction of your building.

“Come on,” he said and you pulled out your keys, but then dropped them with a gasp. Logan picked them up, then opened the building’s door for you.

“It’s kind of like a handkerchief situation when you think about it,” you said happily as you climbed the stairs. If you weren’t so drunk, you would’ve noticed earlier that he was in fact in your building but it only dawned on you when you stopped in front of your apartment, then held your breath.

“Logan?” you asked, your heart beating faster at the possibility. “Would you like to come in?”

“I’ll just make sure you actually go to bed and not wander off to the street completely drunk,” he told you and you pouted your lips as he opened your door for you.

Stepping into your apartment, you yawned and looked over your shoulder as he closed the door behind him, then held up the fish tank.

“Where do you want to put it?”

“The kitchen is fine,” you said, pointing at the kitchen and he made his way to the kitchen while you swayed on your steps, making your way to your bedroom to fling yourself on the bed, kicking off your shoes. You heard the sound of water running before the footsteps came closer and you sat up in the bed, tucking your legs under you. Logan entered your bedroom, his hazel gaze focusing on you for a moment before he shook his head slightly and handed you the huge glass of water.

“Drink it.”

“Oh I’m not thirsty.”

“Drink it,” he repeated and you heaved a sigh, then took a sip of it before lowering the glass to your lap.

“I’m pretty sure those cocktails will knock you out but off the chance that you wake up still drunk, I need you to promise me—” Logan started but a tiny lint on the skirt of your dress caught your attention, making you distracted. You pulled at it with a frown but felt Logan tilt your chin up so that you could look up at him.

“Eyes on me princess, look at me.”

You could feel the warmth spreading through you as your eyes met his, pleasant goosebumps rising on your arms as you blinked up at him in adoration.

“Your voice is very deep,” you murmured and he smiled slightly.

“Did you hear a word I said?”

You thought for a moment, then shook your head.

“Don’t wander off to the street if you wake up in the middle of the night,” he said. “I need to get back to the institute but—”

“Or you could stay?” you asked, your voice soft in the quiet, dimly lit room and a shadow moved behind his hazel gaze, making your heart skip a beat. You knew he knew what you meant, and hope filled your system, making you feel nearly lightheaded at the possibility of him feeling half of the fire running through your veins.

You could swear there was some sort of invisible lighting crackling between you, making your breath catch in your throat as he traced your bottom lip with his thumb, making your eyes flutter close for a second before you looked up at him again.

“Logan…”

“That is not happening when you’re drunk, sweetheart,” he said, his voice low and you pulled your brows together.

“It could.”

“It won’t.”

 You bit inside your cheek, blinking up at him and he frowned as if trying to pull himself together. His knuckles brushed over your cheekbone softly before he withdrew his hand, then leaned down to press his lips to the top of your head, making you heave a sigh.

“Call me when you wake up tomorrow,” he said before he pulled back, then walked out of the room.

You heard the front door open, then close and you let out a whine, then let yourself fall back on the bed, pressing your fingertips on your lips. A giggle you couldn’t stop climbed up your throat and you lowered your hand, then took off your dress to throw it to somewhere in the room before grabbing the covers to pull them over your head, a huge smile curling your lips as you closed your eyes, sleep pulling you into its warmth.

7 - Heat Wave

[kimoralov3]

daylight

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

description: steve has had a lot of trouble in his love life. but he's also one of the biggest idiots known to man because the girl of his dreams is standing right in front of him

warnings: swearing, reader uses she/her pronouns, everyone is a lil mean to steve, mentions of stancy (not like that), like i said steve is an idiot, slight angst, fluff

word count: 3059

a/n: tagging @arkofblake because this technically was smth that she requested before i changed it. also shout out to her mom for the knowledge about phones from the 80s lol

“Steve, you can’t keep staring at her like some sort of lost puppy.” Robin says as she helps Steve put some beer and sodas in the cooler.

“What are you talking about?” He asks as he turns back to the fridge.

“Oh please, you’ve been staring at Nancy and Jonathan ever since they got here.” Robin comments as she opens the bag of ice and clumsily dumps it into the small cooler.

“Have not.” Steve mutters as he shuts the fridge door. Robin gives him a look, the look she seems to be giving him a lot these days. “Okay, fine. I have been staring at them, but not for the reason you’re thinking.”

“Oh really? What other reason is there for you to be staring at your ex and her new boyfriend?” She says suspiciously.

Steve pauses, trying to find the words to express the tangled mess that is his love life. He eventually gives up, shaking his head as he grabs the cooler off the counter and walks outside to the pool. “I can’t explain it.”

“Oh come on, you gotta give me something.” Robin pleads, giving Steve her best puppy dog eyes.

Steve glances over at his best friend before quickly looking away. “Those don’t work on me.” He says definitely, but quickly gives in when he spares another glance at Robin. “Seeing them together just makes me think about all the things I don’t have.”

“Wow, that’s really sad.” Robin says solemnly as she holds the back door open for Steve. “You sure you don’t still have feelings for Nancy?” She adds after another moment of silence. 

“Absolutely positive, Robin. That ship sailed a long time ago.” He explains as he sets the cooler by the pool.

And he wasn’t lying. Steve really was over Nancy. Sure, there had been a time when he thought the two of them would evolve into something more, but that was ages ago. 

But now Steve was alone for the first time in years, and he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He’d been on dates, but they’d turned more into a chore than something he was actually enjoying. They all left him feeling like a piece of him was missing, a piece of himself that he just knew was important. 

“Steve?” A voice called, pulling him from his well of self despair. 

“Yeah?” He says as he turns around, nearly falling over when he notices who’s in front of him.

“Can you move over so I can grab a soda?” Y/N asks politely as she gestures to the cooler behind Steve.

“Oh shit, yeah, of course.” Steve stutters as he moves out of the way, nearly falling into the pool. Y/N gives him an awkward smile as she grabs a soda before walking back over to sit with Jonathan and Nancy. 

“What was all of that about?” Dustin asks as he appears beside Steve, munching on some Goldfish.

“Jesus kid, you need to wear a bell or something!” Steve exclaims as he presses a hand to his fast beating heart. 

“Or maybe you just need to be more observant.” Dustin says mockingly as he flicks a Goldfish at Steve’s face, causing the older male to swat at him.

“Will you two quit it!” Robin says as she separates the two of them. Dustin flips Steve off before going to go sit back with the party and Suzie. 

“I swear that kid has no manners.” Steve mutters to himself as Robin walks away to go sit with Eddie and Chrissy. Steve is so busy mentally planning out his revenge against Henderson that he doesn’t notice a certain someone staring at him like he’s hung the moon and the stars.

—

“Robin, you seriously need glasses or something. How could you put Ferris Bueller and Top Gun in the same section?” Steve complains as he removes the tapes from the shelf.

“Oh quit being a baby and move them, I’m busy here.” Robin calls from the back. Steve rolls his eyes, muttering something under his breath as he moves to the back of the store to grab his cart. 

“I’ll be with you in a minute!” He says when the front door rings. He sets the missorted tapes on a random shelf as he walks back up to the front counter.

“Welcome to Family Video, how can I help y— Y/N?” Steve asks, shocked to see her here.

“Oh, hey Steve. I forgot you worked here.” She says with a laugh as she adjusts her bag on her shoulder. Effortlessly, and beautifully to him, if anyone cared enough to ask what he thought. Which was a rarity. 

Steve gives her a small smile, silently cursing himself for not taking his normal amount of care when he was getting ready this morning. 

Robin really needs to learn some patience.

“Yeah, have been for a while.” He says as he rubs the nape of his neck. “So, what can I help you with today?” 

“Well, my parents are out of town so it’s just me at home. Figured I’d get some movies to keep myself occupied for a while they’re gone.” She explains as she looks around the store before her eyes land on Steve once again, causing a shiver to run down his spine. “Got any recommendations for me?”

“Of course, walk with me.” He says, shooting her his signature smile as he walks over to the staff picks shelf. 

“Is that Labyrinth?” Y/N asks with a chuckle as she picks it up and inspects the back.

Steve groans, rolling his eyes as he sees the movie. “Fucking Eddie. He must’ve snuck it onto the shelf when he was here earlier.”

“Well, he has good taste. Think I’ll be taking this one with me.” She says as she waves the box. Steve can’t explain it, but he feels a small tightness in his chest. 

“To each their own, I guess.” He says with a shrug, trying to ignore this strange feeling. “Anyways, I would definitely recommend these if you’re looking for a more calm night in.” 

Steve hands over The Goonies, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and Back to the Future, waiting patiently for a reaction. 

“Oh my god, is this a Muppets movie?” She asks with a laugh, inspecting the box. “My little cousin loves this movie.”

“Hm, I don’t know how I should feel about that. Are you calling my cinematic taste childish?” Steve asks with a chuckle as he leans against the shelf.

“I would definitely call it that.” Robin says, wheeling a cart as she walks past the two of them. Steve glares at her while Y/N snorts, hiding her smile behind her hand. 

“I wasn’t going to say that it was childish. I was going to say that it’s…interesting.” She explains, her voice pitching up on the last word. 

Steve scoffs at that, shaking his head. “Sure, we’ll go with that.” He says jokingly. “So, will this be all for you?”

“Uh, yeah. This should be good enough for the weekend.” She says as the two of them walk back to the front counter. 

“Glad to be of service.” Steve says as he takes a small bow, cursing himself for how stupid he probably looks. 

“You know, you’re really funny.” Y/N says as Steve rings up the movies. Steve smiles softly, more affected by her words than he would like to admit.

“Could you tell Robin that? She says I have the humor of an old man.” He jokes as he puts the tapes into a bag. Y/N snorts again, this time a little louder. 

“See what I mean? Very funny, Harrington. Very funny.” She says as he hands her the bag. There’s a brief moment of silence before Y/N speaks up again. “Do you wanna come over tomorrow? You know, watch a movie with me or something?” She asks nervously. 

Steve’s mouth hangs open a little, blinking slowly. There was no way he heard that correctly. “You want me to come over?” 

“Yeah. Only if you want to, of course.” She clarifies quickly. 

“Of course I wanna come. I’ll even bring some snacks.” He says as he leans his arms on the counter. 

Y/N smiles at that, nodding her head. “Perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She says, giving Steve one final wave before leaving. 

“Man, you are such a doofus.” Robin says as she comes up behind him. 

“Can you not?” Steve says as he turns around to face her. Robin smirks, winking at him before walking away. 

—

“You did what?” Eddie asks with a laugh as he stops strumming on his guitar.

“Don’t laugh at me, I need your help here!” Steve says as he throws his soda can at Eddie.

“Hey, careful! This is my most prized possession.” Eddie says as he throws the can back at Steve, missing him entirely. “Now, tell me exactly what happened.”

“Y/N invited me over, and I went because of course I would, you know? And everything was going really well, at least to me.” Steve explains as he leans back against Eddie’s dresser. 

“Okay, doesn’t sound too bad so far. What happened after that?” Eddie says as he turns the knobs on his guitar. 

“Then I thanked her for inviting me and left.” Steve says simply. Eddie abruptly stops what he’s doing, setting his guitar down on his bed.

“You did what now?” Eddie exclaims as he stands from the bed, causing Steve to look up at him. 

“Left. Why, what’s wrong?” He asked, very confused by Eddie’s sudden outburst. 

“You’re a fucking idiot, that’s what’s wrong.” Eddie says as he grabs Steve’s arm and hauls him into the living room. “Stand right there.” 

Steve grumbles something under his breath as he rubs his arm where Eddie had grabbed it. “Since when are you strong?”

“Amps are heavy as shit man. Now shush.” He says as he dials a number on the phone. Steve mutters something about Eddie being rude as he watches him press the phone to his ear. 

“Who are you calling?” Steve asks, only to be shushed by Eddie. Steve rolls his eyes, watching as Eddie waits for the person on the other end to pick up. 

“Hey Y/N! Do you have a moment to talk?” Eddie says when the person on the other end picks up. Steve automatically stands up straighter, listening closely to try and hear what Y/N was saying. 

“— Not in the mood—” Is the only thing that Steve can make out from here, causing him to frown. Was Y/N really that upset with him that she didn’t want to talk to anyone?

“Just humor me, please? What exactly happened yesterday with Harrington?” Eddie asks as Steve gets closer to the phone.

“I did what you and Robin told me to and asked Steve out, and absolutely nothing happened. I even tried scooting closer to him to see if he would catch the hint, but he didn’t! And then when it was time for him to leave, I went to kiss his cheek and he hugged me, Eddie. He hugged me!” Y/N rants from the other end of the line. “So either everyone is bullshitting me and Steve Harrington actually isn’t into me, or he’s the most oblivious man on the face of the planet.” 

Eddie gives Steve a knowing look as he says his goodbyes before hanging up the phone. “See? Idiot.”

Steve bangs his head against the wall as Eddie pats him pitifully on the shoulder. “So you mean to tell me that yesterday was supposed to be a date?” He finally says when he’s done with his attempt to knock some sense into himself. 

“It was a date. Could you honestly not tell?” Eddie asks as he crosses his arms over his chest. 

“No! I just thought that she was trying to be nice!” Steve says as he slides down the wall. 

“Man, can’t believe this. Former king of Hawkins High is sitting on the floor of my trailer, having a crisis because he blew a date with a pretty girl.” Eddie says as he shakes his head. Steve doesn’t even bother responding, sitting there with his head in his hands. “So, are you going to try and fix it or not?”

“What do you mean?” Steve asks as he finally looks up.

“God, since when did I become the smart one here?” Eddie asks in mock disappointment. “You need to go back over to Y/N’s and make everything right.” 

“How am I supposed to do that? I think you of all people should know that I’m not good with this stuff.” Steve said as he stood up. Eddie groans, rubbing his hands over his face. 

“My god, Harrington. You’re hopeless.” He says. “Here, I’ll tell you exactly what to do.”

Under any other circumstance, those words would’ve sent fear straight into Steve’s heart. Especially coming from someone like Eddie. But he was desperate, and desperate people don’t always make the smartest decisions. 

—

Steve stands outside of Y/N’s door, her favorite flowers in hand. He stands there for a moment, mentally going over everything that Eddie told him to say. He takes a deep breath before giving up and knocking on the door.

It’s silent for a moment before Steve hears the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door. The door opens up to reveal Y/N standing there, arms over her chest.

“What do you want, Harrington?” She asks coldly. Steve gulps at that, rocking back and forth on his feet a little. Guess I deserve that a little.

“I just came here to apologize. For yesterday.” He says as he holds out the bouquet of flowers. Y/N hesitates before taking the flowers from him, smelling them quickly.

“What exactly are you apologizing for?” She asks after a moment.

“For being an idiot. If I had known that you wanted yesterday to be a date, I would’ve handled things a lot differently.” Steve explains as he nervously shoves his hands in his pockets.

“Different? Different how?” She asks as she leans against the doorframe. Steve pauses, trying to think of the best way to say what he wanted to say.

“Can I come in? I think it would be better.” He asks as he scratches his head. Y/N gives him a suspicious look before stepping aside and gesturing to the living room. Steve mutters a small thank you as the two of them walk into the living room and sit on the couch. 

“So, what exactly is it that you would’ve done differently?” She asks as she sets the flowers on the coffee table. 

“For starters, I wouldn’t have let our first date just be us watching a Muppets movie on your couch.” Steve says in a joking tone, fidgeting with his hands in his lap. “If I had known, I would have taken you out to dinner. Hell, if you really wanted I would’ve taken you to go see one but god I would not have gone to go see a freaking kids movie.”

“Why, what’s wrong with kids' movies?” Y/N asks teasingly, causing Steve to laugh for the first time since he got there. 

“I guess you’re right.” Steve says as he turns to face Y/N. “Can we get a do over date? I promise that this time I won’t act like a complete idiot.” He says sincerely. Y/N seems to mull it over for a moment before looking up at Steve.

“Promise?” She asks softly, as if she was still hurt and embarrassed from what happened the night before. 

“Swear on my life. And you know if I break it, I’ll have Nancy, Robin, and Eddie on my ass about it.” He adds jokingly, but it isn’t really a joke. He had seen first hand how scary Nancy could be when she was upset, and he did not want to be on the receiving end of her wrath. Again. 

“Fine. But I’ll need you to ask me properly.” She says after a longer moment of consideration, sitting up straight against the back of the couch.

“Fine by me.” Steve says as he stands up, pulling Y/N with him. They give each other small smiles before Steve clears his throat dramatically. “Y/N, I’ve had feelings for you for a while now. Longer than I would personally like to admit. So, will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?” 

Y/N stands with their hand on their chin, looking off into space as she pretends to think long and hard about Steve’s offer. Steve starts to get nervous that she might actually reject him when she leans up, pressing a quick peck to his cheek. “Of course I’ll go out with you, Steve.” 

Steve feels the heat rush to his cheek at Y/N’s actions, looking down at them with the biggest grin in the world. “You know, technically we’ve already had our first date. So it wouldn’t be completely insane of me to kiss you, would it?” He asks as he steps closer to her. 

Y/N lets out a chuckle before responding, her hands behind her back. “No, no. I don’t think it would be completely insane, as you put it.” 

That’s all the permission Steve needs before he pulls Y/N closer by her hips, their lips slotting together perfectly. He feels more than hears her sigh into the kiss as she raises her arms to wrap them around his neck. 

When they both pull away for air, Steve swears he can see all the stars in her eyes. “That was…”

“Wow, how many girls can say that they took Steve Harrington’s breath away after a single kiss?” She asks teasingly, although it was easy to tell by the heat of her cheeks that she was just as — if not more — affected by the kiss as Steve was. 

Steve rolls his eyes, which was seeming to become a common practice for him these days. “Way to ruin the moment.”

Y/N shrugs, giving Steve one of her award winning smiles. At least they were in his mind. “What can I say, it’s one of my many special talents.”