#t: maria hill

[a-spes]

So.. I have seen an edit about Captain Anderson & Chen, from the Rookie, and maybe I was the only one to ship them, but I really like (love) the dynamic the both of them have 🙃

And so, I can't stop thinking about Maria Hill having a similar bond with Reader when they are both working as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents. So hope you will enjoy the Maria Hill content you get today 🙆

She is the training officer than no one wants to be assigned to.

She may be the commander, the one you need to impress if you want to be given good opportunities in the job, but she is also the one who could easily make your first day as an agent the last — and it is something she would be happy to do.

They are a lot of rumors about the woman. They are glorious, but they scare the students. She has achieved a lot of great things in her carrer, but it doesn't come without a price ; this job became her whole life. Commander Hill has nothing to loose, she has no one to come home to, and she expects every agent to act the same way, to at least pretend they are in the same situation — "because if you don't, if you are too scared of dying to do your job properly, then it will become a reality. You fail, you loose everything," she had said the first day.

She is strict. She never forgives, nor forgets, when a mistake is made. She has no time to waste, and only trains the best rookies. So it is no surprised that she was assigned to this guy from your promotion. He is first in every class, he is strong, confident,.. in other words, he is the perfect trainee.

At least, he used to be, before he decided to quit S.H.I.E.L.D., only a few weeks after he has started his training by her side. So when time came for the woman to choose a new trainee, and when she pointed at you, making you her new one, you were shaking with fear — because she just sealed your fate.

The first weeks were hard, the woman didn't seem to warm up to your presence despite the time that has passed. She barely talks to you and, when she does, it is only to give cold orders or to reprimand your way of doing things. It feels like you are playing a game you can't win because she refuses to explain the rules to you, and she keeps changing them.

You are trying your best to meet her expectations, but you are only messing everything up. She sees everything you say, or do, as a failure. You haven't heard a single compliment falling from her lips the past few weeks, and it is slowly gnawing at your from the inside.

The worse is probably when she doesn't say anything. In those moments, when she looks at you with a stern glance, and an expression you can't read because she is like a closed book. Those moments when she leaves you alone with your thoughts, and you can only imagine what you have done wrong this time. It keeps you awake at nights.

She does it for your own good, that is what she repeats to herself when she eventually comes to a point when she starts to question her methods. She is strict, and demanding, and that is exaclty what you need because that is what will keep you alive on the field. The world doesn't give second chances.

If you decide to quit, it is that you weren't made for the job. Yet, you are still here, and she has to admit that she is quite surprised because you haven't even snapped at her — something most of the recruits would have done by now. Except you are slighly different. She has never seen someone so eager to obey orders. Someone who is able to put their egos aside, and accept that they have to learn everything again because the real life is nothing alike the academy.

Maybe, for once, she has to admit that her trainee holds the potential to make a great agent one day — yet, it is not something she would tell you directly.

(more is coming)

[bluestranger]

silent hill 2 🤝 murakami novels

jumping down wells and holes while losing your mind/having an existential crisis

[lonleytea]

i really liked sh2 remake but I didn’t like how they portrayed maria😞 she looks like she works at the bank and i feel they just??? did her character wrong?? in the og, she looked and FELT more confusing and out of place, which was basically the intended goal because all the ‘born from jame’s thoughts abt mary’ and stuff. she seemed so eerie and something you couldn’t quite understand, especially with the way she spoke and acted.

id also like to point out the lack of confidence in the remake. although its something you could easily brush past, i feel as though it added to maria’s character with how she just DIDNT care, lmfao. maybe thats just because it was a ps2 game, but it almost felt taunting with how while you were getting jumped by nurses she would just stand on the side (or in the way lol) with a hand on her hip.

BASICALLY..i wish they looked into maria’s design more. plus, there are theories that because maria is wearing someone else’s clothes (christina aguilera) that its the first hint that shes ‘pretending’ to be a different person (mary). in the og, it felt as if her actions were all carefully created in order to mess the fuck out of jame’s thoughts and feelings, and the player!!!! the remake didn’t really FEEL like maria.

[dontsearchformyaccount]

She is the only thing keeping me alive right now and none even knows

[blackhillverse]

the shock and denial of maria’s death is finally wearing off and i slowly begin to cry every now and then, i hate it here its only the beginning of mourning.

[t0uchfaith]

t would’ve saved her

[wandasaura]

I CANT PROMISE PICKET FENCES

summary — maria’s always been married to her job, but lately she’s been married to the idea of a future with you

prompt — sharing long term dreams, goals and aspirations with one another x talking late into the night

song — black and white by niall horan

🌞⊹ ˚ . 18+, men/minors dni ⁺ 𓈒 ꒰🧺꒱ 🌷 ･ mommy maximoff ✧

Spring with Maria always felt fresh. There was just something about the way the flowers enhanced the blue in her eyes and the way her muscles got softer with the weather. She was still your hard headed girl, a woman that would not be swayed easily no matter who she was up against, but a delicacy came to light within her when the weather warmed up and the cherry blossoms bloomed. 

It was your opinion that Maria looked especially ethereal dressed in uniform. The navy blue material brought out the softest wisps of gray in her blue eyes, and the slickback hairstyle she incorporated into her daily appearance was particularly eye-catching, exposing the harsh cut of her jaw and the sharp contour of her naturally slim nose. It wasn’t as soft as her wardrobe at home; loose fitting sweatpants that did wonders for her waistline and some old t-shirt that she claimed had too much sentimental value to toss in the donation pile, but still, to you she looked absolutely diaphanous. You supposed you had to appreciate the uniform, she wore it more often then she did her own clothes, and even now, it was clad to her body like a winter glove as she spun around in her desk chair, two black pens twirling between the slender fingers that were skilled in delicate acts of intimacy. Those same fingers that twirled ballpoint pens between bruised knuckles were fingers that had traced every inch of your skin, and simultaneously pulled a trigger to end the life of someone who had started this life out as an innocent. Maria Hill didn’t have a violent bone in her body, but she owned a heart that fought for justice. 

The bed that Maria had picked out for your bedroom was big. It was big enough for two people to roll around in with an abundance of space between warm bodies and the abrupt edge, but most nights you occupied it alone, and the expense of soft memory foam around either side of your body felt suffocating. Most nights, you occupied Maria’s chosen side of the bed, curled up tight with the blankets pulled taught around your shoulders. Her pillows smelt of the shampoo she favored each time you went grocery shopping, but the sheets lingered with the notes and elements of her perfume that she sprayed all of her clothes with routinely. She was the only woman you knew that kept a bottle of perfume on her bedside table, but you were grateful each night you fell into bed alone and became enveloped in her delicate scent. 

The bottle of perfume on her nightstand had become your temporary tripod as you propper your phone up against it, cocooning yourself beneath heavy blankets and soft pillows as she laid on your side to really look at her, and although the room you occupied was dark and dressed only in slivers of moonlight that slipped into the bedroom, she could see every blemish on your face perfectly. The fluorescent lighting of the helicarrier gave her a radiant glow, and the brightness of her settling bled into yours like she wasn’t really so far away. That thought was merely for your own comfort, realistically you knew that she was somewhere far right now, probably hovering over the rubble of Sokovia or perhaps even farther. She wouldn’t be home for another three nights, but for a moment, if you let yourself drown in the symphony of her laughter that was as sweet and fresh as the songs of a hummingbird, it felt like she was with you. 

“How’s Clint doing?” You questioned softly, cheek pressed firmly against the pillowcase beneath your head and muffling your words slightly. Maria’s lips twitched upward into a fond grin, and her blue eyes traced every shadow across your face as she memorized the sight of you. 

“He’s hanging in there. Misses the kids, misses Laura. He and Nat have been really overdoing the Budapest jokes.” Maria rolled her eyes fondly, her agitation merely pretend as she thought about the birdbrain man and the silent dancer that found themselves beneath her wing. You’re glad that she has some semblance of familiarity, that she’s not entirely alone to act as the Deputy Director, but you miss her either way. 

“Laura’s been sending me pictures of the kids.” You smiled, propping your head up on the pillow with your fist, eyes dancing across Maria’s face as you scan her for injuries she’s conveniently forgotten to mention. Your lips curl further upward when you come up empty handed, but you can’t relax completely knowing there are still hours in the day and multiple nights before she’s home safe and awake from warfare. “Lila and Cooper got into the chicken coop yesterday. Had a water balloon fight with the eggs.” 

Maria’s nose crinkled at the thought of two young children she was entirely fond of pelting each other with eggs, but there was something different in her eyes at the mention of the Barton children. Conversation always flowed between the pair of you naturally, and the lifestyle of Laura Barton was something you’d discussed in length, both of you friends with the woman who had suspended her life in duty to raise three children. You’d never seen Maria so conflicted over a story of her latest adventure, but recently she’d been falling into her head a lot more, surrendering to whatever daydreams she liked to construct when the present became too boring. “Penny for your thoughts?” You offered quietly, eyes kind and questioning. 

Maria’s silence stretches, her expression becoming increasingly conflicted, but eventually her voice fills the bedroom again and it’s like she’s not really gone at all. “Do you ever think about what Clint has?” She asks softly, soft enough for you to pick up on the fact that she’s not asking in the generic sense; she’s wondering if you want what he has. Maria’s always been open about the fact that she’s content in her career, she’s not overly fond of the travel, but she’s content with devoting her life to two things; you and shield. The question that hangs in the area is uncharted territory, but you’re ready to dive into the adventure with her. You’re ready to talk about a future outside of Shield and how you see your life in five, ten, fifteen years. You’re ready to love her eternally, because you know that you have since the moment she asked you to be her girlfriend. 

“I do. I especially like to think about you in a pair of overalls collecting eggs.” Your giggles pulled a smile over Maria’s features, completely ridding the looming tension that pulled at her eyebrows and replacing it with that lightness that only spring could create. “I do, Mia. I think about it all the time. I was just waiting for you to be ready. Are you? Ready, I mean.” 

Maria was always a concentrated speaker. She thinks fully and deeply about the conversations she holds and the responses she gives, especially to those she cares about personally. She’s extremely rash in her decisions that involve adventure, she’ll wake you up at four in the morning talking about racing the sunrise and finding the coast to watch it fully, but her words are always heedful. Nobody can believe that after so many years together you’ve never fought, but if they took the time to know Maria the way that you do, that wouldn’t be so hard to understand. She didn’t hesitate to nod her head at your question, though. She took no time to consider how she felt about your future. Even if she didn’t say it, she didn’t half to. Just by knowing Maria you know that this is something she’s been shifting over for months. The thought of her cementing your future in her mind before she dared to bring it up to you brought  a light smile over your lips. 

“Two kids. I know you said you wanted three when we first started talking, but I think we’d be perfect for two. Two little boys, not twins, but close enough in age that everybody who sees us stops to ask. We’d use the same donor for both of them, so they know that no matter what anybody tells them about having two moms, they know that they’re connected and they’re brothers.” Maria trails off, a soft smile on her face that you want to kiss away until she falls into a fit of giggles. Instead, you clutch one of your pillows to your chest, hugging it tightly and wishing it was her. 

“Two boys, huh?” You quirked a teasing eyebrow. “You want to be a boy mom, Maria Hill? Think you can handle all the wrestling matches and dirt?” 

“They’ll know better. We’ll teach them to take their shoes off before they come in from outside. I’ll wrestle with them. Clint was talking about these play couches Laura got the kids. We’ll get them for the boys, set them up on the floor so nobody gets hurt. But we’ll sit on the couch behind them and watch. We’ll kiss imaginary boo-boos and we’ll play dress up. We’ll teach them that it’s okay to cry, and it’s okay to need a hug. It won’t be like the way I was raised. They won’t hide their mistakes in fear of our reaction, and when they’re teenagers they’ll think we’re badass. I wasn’t ready to think about all of this before. I wasn’t ready to find out if I’d be just like my parents, but I’m ready now. I’m ready to start talking about everything, and buying a house. We can’t live in that apartment forever, I won’t let you live in that apartment forever. I can’t promise a picket fence life. I can’t say that I’m ready to leave my position entirely, but I am ready to start prioritizing our future the way that I prioritize the now.” 

You held onto every word that fell off of Maria’s lips and filled the silence of your bedroom so cautiously. Your eyes glimmered with tears that pool in your waterline, disrupting the image of her sat at her desk in front of a stack of papers and mission reports, and although unconventional to be having this conversation for the first time continents away from one another, it’s entirely perfect. She’s perfect. “Five year plan. We’ll find a house, we’ll start the process. I don’t need a picket fence life, Maria. I just need you.” 

A yawn pulled at your lips, nose scrunching as you snuggled deeper into her side of the bed. The time on your phone didn’t feel like an accurate depiction of the hours that had passed since you called her, but as the early hours dawned closer and closer to sunrise, you knew that eventually you would fall asleep, and when you woke up it would be a new day but the bed would still be lonely. You weren’t ready to say goodbye to her yet, you wanted to talk about the future until you were blue in the face and she was home by your side, but Maria never let you compromise your schedule. “Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll call you tomorrow.” 

“Stay with me.” You whispered softly, eyes fluttering shut as you surrendered to the pressure of exhaustion behind your eyes. It had been a long three weeks of missing her, but the time apart only grew smaller each time you fell asleep. Even so, you didn’t want to fall asleep alone in a home that you share with her. Even if she couldn’t hold you, you wanted to fall asleep knowing that she was watching you like she did every night when she was here. “I just want to know that you’re here, at least partially.” 

You couldn't see Maria, but you knew that she was smiling at you, probably with the cap of her ridiculous Stark Industries pen between her teeth. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here.” 

You smiled, nodding your head. “I love you, Mia.”  “I love you too, cariña.” You didn’t open your eyes to see her smile, but you could hear it in her voice, and only seconds later, you fell asleep knowing that the future you had always wanted was one step closer to fully being yours.

[nataliasquote]

Is It All For Nothing? | n romanoff

Summary: You just want a friend. Is that so bad? How is it fair that everyone else gets one but you. What did you do that was so wrong?

Warnings: idk. just depressing stuff ig

Pairings: none. a small bit of Nat x reader but all platonic

wc: 1.3k

notes: I wrote this in 45 mins in one sitting. It’s written in a different pov than usual and idk if it even makes sense. I just typed and didn’t stop until I was done 🤷‍♀️ the idea just came to me and yeah :)

-⧗-

Frankly, being on the sidelines sucked. Everyone knew it yet no matter how many times someone engaged in small talk to be polite or proclaimed they were there to talk to everyone, somehow you were always left out.

It didn’t matter where you were, loneliness followed like a dormant disease. High school sucked, you were a nobody, but thankfully those years were in the past. But your fifteen year old self didn’t realise that your isolation would carry right on over into your adult life.

And sure, it wasn’t all bad. The nights spent chatting with new friends you’d made that day left you on an all time high, but that just made the fall that much harder. And when the low inevitably came, you could only laugh at yourself at your naivety, because why would things suddenly change? You weren’t someone people stuck around for.

Unfortunately, Shield agents were no different. Those in your cohort were nice enough to say hi in the hallway or invite you into group conversations. A couple even chatted with you over lunch. But you knew they only did it because they felt bad. You saw the difference in their demeanor; you were a spy for god’s sake. They were so much happier with their friends, and that didn’t include you, no matter how hard you tried to convince yourself it did.

There was one agent who’s attention toyed with you that little bit more. Natasha Romanoff was a couple of ranks higher, both in social and training status. But she was always kind, no matter what. You conversed whilst waiting for your training session, mainly her listening as you talked. She was sweet, despite her intimidating facade and before long she had you completely wrapped around your little finger.

For a month, you both chatted any chance you got. If you saw her in the cafeteria, you’d make a beeline for her table, smiling at the other agents as you sat down. She responded to you, her eyes holding yours as you spoke, seeming actually interested in what you had to say. She would joke with you, calling you out with a laugh which sent a flush to your cheeks. You didn’t care what she said, she was talking to you. That’s all that mattered. Maybe this was where your life changed for the better. Evenings that followed those days would be blissful and you would fall asleep with a smile on your face, feeling on top of the world all because of the redheaded Russian.

However, as the weeks went on, days would go by with no contact. At first you just thought she was going on more missions; that was her job after all. But then you’d see that flash of red hair in a meeting room or one of the agents talking about something Natasha had said earlier and it hit you sharply in the throat.

Was she just like everyone else? Playing the pity card, building you up only to leave you hanging once she got bored? Natasha didn’t seem like that kind of person, but had essentially placed her on a pedestal, so of course she could do no wrong. That was your downfall.

Emerging from a debrief with Maria Hill, you tucked a stack of files under your arm and stepped out into the hallway. And there she was, a soft smile on her lips. You reciprocated it and made eye contact, opening your mouth to speak. You hadn't spoken in a few days and you hated to admit it, but you missed her.

But Natasha clearly didn’t feel the same. Her eyes caught yours and then darted to the floor, her feet picking up the pace as she walked past. “I’m sorry Y/n, I’m busy today. We’ll talk later.”

Except she wasn’t busy. Because there she was, standing at the end of the hall laughing with another agent in your cohort. It shouldn’t have been, but it was like a punch to the stomach and you quickly turned around, retreating back into the room you’d left to avoid her seeing you watching her.

You knew that agent. They were friends, everyone saw it. And she was nice enough to you too, but jealousy coursed through your veins and turned you into a green eyed monster.

What did she have that you didn’t? Besides the ability to win Natasha over, obviously. Every single interaction you’d had with the redhead suddenly started replaying in your mind, frantically scanning to see what went wrong. Did you overstep? Were you too pushy? Too clingy? You just wanted a friend, was that so hard to understand? Was it so bad to want?

You thought about texting her, but decided against it. You didn’t want to know the answer. What if your worst fears were confirmed? That she only spoke to you out of pity, and quite frankly didn’t want anything to do with you.

It hurt. It really did. Countless times you wished that she was the one that would change your bad history of making friends. Because when you were around Natasha, nothing else mattered. The days of no contact slipped out of your mind. You’d forgive her for anything in a heartbeat… maybe that was the problem.

You thought the world of her. And she saw that. ‘Never meet your heroes’ that’s what they say, isn’t it? And maybe she wasn’t quite at hero status for you, but you looked up to her. Praising her work when she returned from a successful mission, commenting on the ingenious moves she made to lead her team to victory. She was everything you wanted to be as an agent, with one seriously important factor.

Everyone loved her.

Everyone loved her, and nobody knew you. She was the prize rose and you were behind, stuck in her shadow. They didn’t see you as anyone but the agent who sucked up to Natasha. They didn’t see how hard you worked, how many hours you trained, how much effort you put in. And they never would. Because it was too much. You were a try hard.

A try hard in a room full of effortless people.

Effortless just like that other agent was. She’d been rumoured to move up into Natasha’s ranks and onto her mission team, leaving you struggling in the lower levels. It felt almost childish, yearning after the attention of one single person. But no matter how hard you tried, or how casual you tried to be, Natasha would never see you as anything other than a fan girl.

You knew she was capable of giving you what you desired, you saw it with that other agent. The way they laughed together, developed inside jokes and anecdotal phrases that they brought up in group discussions. You saw the way Natasha’s eyes lit up at the mention of her name, how she gushed over her but also teased her at the same time. Their effortless banter had you choking back tears as you sat one table over, watching with blurry eyes.

You wanted that so badly it hurt.

But if you stopped trying, stopped reaching out, stopped lusting after the perfect friendship you so badly craved with her, would she notice? Or would you fade into the background, silently, without a word. Maybe she would be happy, now that you’re no longer bugging her.

Maybe it’s for the best.

[missvelvetsstuff]

No Benefits

Bucky Barnes x Reader, Bucky Barnes x Sharon Carter

Summary: Reader and Bucky are best friends until a drunken hook up. Bucky wants a friends with benefits situation because he doesn't feel ready for a relationship but reader knows that will lead to a broken heart.

Then Sharon Carter comes to work with them.

Notes: Steve and Tony are around but retired, everything else is mostly canon

I try to keep my Reader description vague but she's a she and above average height

Here goes nothing

Chapter 1

Warnings: Swearing, mostly angst, eventual happy ending.

Y/N, or Cookie to her friends, was at her desk, trying to finish her report so she could leave work early for one of Tony Stark's parties. This wasn't her first time but tonight her bff and mostly secret crush, Bucky Barnes, was escorting her. It wasn't the first time for that either but tonight felt different. Usually they met at the elevator but when they spoke earlier he said he would pick her up at her room. They had been getting closer in the last few months and even Steve and Sam had commented about Bucky's behavior towards her.

The night was everything she had dreamed, Bucky was attentive and always had his hands on her, respectfully of course but more intimate than he usually was. They danced much of the night and when slow songs came on he pulled her close and she could feel his breath on her neck, causing chills.

Towards the end of the night, Bucky pulled her to the elevator and kissed her until they reached his floor. They were in his room, her dress gone before she could think twice, not that she would have.

She could taste the Asgardian ale on his breath, blending with the tequila on hers. Everything was a blur of flesh and feelings she had never experienced before. She couldn't get enough, neither could he.

Y/N opened her eyes to bright light and a bedroom that wasn't hers. The pounding in her head a reminder of how much she drank last night. She looked around and realized it was Bucky's room, where she spent so much of her time. Suddenly, she realized that she was naked and her stomach dropped. She had hazy memories of shots and kisses that turned into more. The kiss in the elevator. She smiled even though her head hurt, she had been crushing on Bucky since the day they met and was amazed that he actually wanted her too.

Cookie wasn't your typical beauty, taller than most girls and with more curves than your typical agent. Of course, she wasn't a field agent but was the lead intelligence analyst on the east coast reporting directly to Maria Hill.

She reached over to find his side of the bed was cool but figured he must have gone on his morning run with Steve and Sam. She sat up and saw a bottle of water next to some pain killers, which she downed, grateful that Bucky was so thoughtful. Drinking the entire bottle of water she realized she really needed to pee. Standing slowly so as not to irritate her headache she grabbed one of Bucky's t-shirts to cover herself and went to relieve herself. When she was done she went back to sit up in bed and check her emails for today's agenda.

When she was responding to a message from Maria Hill the suite door opened and Bucky came in, sweaty and gorgeous. He saw her curled up on his bed and smiling up at him.

"Morning Buck. Good run?"

He nodded and smirked "Yeah, Sam whined at us to wait up but we just lapped him until he shut up"

"Sounds fun. Since it's Sunday and nothing is scheduled, why don't you take a shower and come back to bed?"

Bucky felt his heart stop "Look doll about last night. You know you're one of my best friends and I love you but I don't feel comfortable getting into a real relationship right now. I still have so much work to do on myself. Last night was great and I was thinking we could have one of those friends with extras, or whatever it's called. You know, to blow off steam."

Her stomach dropped and she felt her eyes filling up "You mean friends with benefits?"

He nodded enthusiastically "Yeah, that's it." he smiled hopefully.

Y/N was quiet for a minute before responding, was it worth the almost guaranteed heartbreak to have more nights like last night? She shook her head, unwilling to take that risk again.

"I'm sorry Buck but I can't do that. I get attached and end up heartbroken. I can't sleep with people that I don't have romantic feelings for."

His eyes grew wide "Wait, that means you have feelings...." He trailed off.

She nodded whispering "Yeah, I do."

Bucky's face dropped "Shit, Cookie, I'm sorry. I thought we were on the same page last night. I don't know what to say. I mean, I might develop feelings over time but I don't know. I don't want to make any promises, you know?"

She swallowed the sob that tried to escape "You don't have to say anything, we can just pretend this never happened. Ok?"

She got up from the bed, clutching the sheet to her and desperately searching for her dress from last night. When she found it she quickly put it on not realizing it was inside out.

He nodded but wasn't feeling too sure of that, he could hear her heart speed up and see her hands shaking "Yeah, sure, nothing has to change."

She smiled at him sadly, tears escaping "I uh I just remembered some paperwork I needed to finish up. I'll catch you later."

"Wait doll. I-"

"Don't worry it's fine." She cleared her throat "I could use a little space and just have work to do." She kissed him on the cheek before rushing out.

Bucky stood there, not sure how to proceed. He didn't want to lose his friend but really didn't feel like he could handle a relationship now. The stress relief from the great sex they had was something he could handle and he did have feelings for her, since the day he arrived at the compound but he knew she deserved a better man than him.

**Flashback**

Y/N was in her office reviewing some reports to glean even the smallest details before they went to the appropriate briefing packets that the field agents would use to form their strategy, when she received a text from Captain America himself, requesting her presence in the common area.

She put away all of the classified info on her desk, locked it and locked the door on her way out. She took the elevator which opened into the common area and was surprised to see a large group of agents already there.

She heard Steve shout her name "Cookie! Over here." and saw his hand waving so headed in his direction.

Steve gave her a hug and pulled away excitedly "Look Cookie, it's my friend, Bucky."

Cookie smiled and offered her hand. When Bucky looked at her she felt her breath catch, holy shit was he gorgeous, way hotter than the pictures in his file "Pleased to meetcha Sargent Barnes"

Both of them felt sparks when they touched but Bucky responded like she had burned him pulling away quickly. Cookie's smile dropped for a second before she forced it back.

Bucky looked at her through his long hair "You too, ma'am."

She could see how he was shrinking into himself, trying to look smaller so she stepped back to give him space.

Steve looked at them both oddly but smiled softly when he heard how fast her heart was beating and the slight blush on Bucky's face. That was a look he remembered from so many years ago, when Bucky met Dot.

**end flashback**

The next few weeks were tense, Y/N and Bucky barely spoke outside of Avengers business. He was always busy, rushing to train or something every time she tried to talk to him. The guilt on his face showed everything, he hated that he hurt her but missed their time together. As soon as he saw her look at him longingly, before she realized he was looking and wiped that look from her face, he had to leave. He hated himself because he knew it hurt her more every time he avoided her but he just couldn't handle seeing her and being reminded of the pain he caused.

There were other, senior agents being trained by Steve, with Bucky and Sam, to prepare for an upcoming mission. Sifting through all the related Intel was keeping Y/N up at night and her haggard appearance had been noticed by most of the team.

They had a meeting to start going over the Intel to plan their strategy. On her way in, Y/N ran into Sharon Carter who she had worked with previously.

"Hey Agent Carter, good to see you."

Sharon laughed softly "Please, Y/N, we've worked together enough for you to call me Sharon."

Y/N laughed awkwardly "Um yeah, Sharon. So how have you been? Any luck finding the power broker?"

Sharon shook her head obviously frustrated "No, he's crafty for sure but we'll get him. Rumor is this mission relates to him."

Y/N nodded, "yeah, all of the serious crime in eastern Europe seem to lead back to him." She looked up and saw Nick Fury striding towards them and straightened her shoulders "Director Fury."

He nodded at her "Agent Y/L/N. Carter. Why don't we get this started, Cookie." He looked down at the container on top of her papers.

Y/N went to the front of the room to sit next to Fury's spot at the head of the table, setting the container in his place. She saw that Sharon sat next to Bucky and started talking to him, touching his right arm and laughing softly. Y/N saw Bucky smiling and felt her chest ache, her stomach cramp up and her throat dried since apparently all the water went to her eyes. She sat down and Sam, the only one who knew what happened with her and Bucky, gave her a sad smile and squeezed her hand.

They held hands through the entire meeting, Bucky and Sharon touching hands under the table. He never liked people touching him except for Y/N but apparently he made an exception for Sharon because he just sat smiling. He never even looked towards Y/N.

When the meeting ended, Bucky and Sharon were the first ones out the door as he quickly led her to his room.

Y/N could barely breathe and rushed to her own room, glad it was on a different floor from Bucky's because she didn't think she could handle hearing him and Sharon go at it.

For the next couple of months it went like that. Bucky and Sharon spending most of their time in his room and Y/N trying to stay busy so she didn't think about it. They were hands off outside of his room and insisted they were just friends when Sam mentioned they were always together. Bucky heard Sam grumble about how Y/N used to be the one he wanted to hang out with, but blew it off. Nothing wrong with having a couple of friends. And Y/N didn't want a casual relationship while Sharon was down for everything and was teaching Bucky a lot.

Sharon was friendly with Cookie in the beginning but started being nasty to Y/N, calling her names and throwing out barely veiled insults when Bucky wasn't around, and did everything she could to keep them apart. Not that Bucky ever seemed to notice, too wrapped up in the constant sex to see much else. Even at team functions Sharon worked to keep her away from Bucky, so much that Y/N just avoided the both of them when at all possible.

Y/N was depressed and missing her friend. She had lost weight and had dark circles under her eyes which she claimed were from working all hours. Time wasn't helping at all, she still had dreams about that night and felt an ache in her chest every time she saw Bucky. A couple of times he tried to talk to her, invite her for the movies nites that she never attended anymore but Sharon always started whining for him and Y/N took the hint and made excuses that she had paperwork or needed sleep, anything to avoid them.

Bucky, Sam and Sharon were offsite for a few days so Y/N could pour herself into work and not worry about running into them.

Late one night she was talking to one of her informants in Latvia and the connection was weak. She claimed to have the details on the Power Broker but static kept interfering with the connection.

Y/N heard banging

"Marta?! Marta are you ok? What's going on?"

There was more banging and a clicking noise then she heard Marta crying and begging.

A muffled womans voice came on the line "You better back off of the Power Broker or you will regret it"

Y/N was pissed "Who the Hell is this? Where's Marta? What did-" she heard a gunshot and the crying stopped.

The voice chuckled "She's unavailable and if you don't wise up, you will be too."

The call disconnected.

Y/N had tears in her eyes. She had met Marta a few years back, she had kids, a family. Now Y/N took that weight and swore to whoever was listening that she would make sure the Power Broker paid for this on top of all the other death and destruction.

Y/N refused to stop and eventually passed out on her laptop. She woke to a loud knocking "Y/N you in there? Fury got a package and wants you in his office 20 minutes ago."

Y/N sighed, Maria Hill. "I'll be down asap."

15 minutes later she was out of breath on her way into his office. "Cookie, there you are. I don't know who sent this but both of our names were on it so I'm hoping you know what's up."

Y/N looked over the package, Latvian stamp no return address. She sighed "Looks like it's from one of my informants in Latvia. I was on the phone with her last nite when she was shot. And a distorted womans voice told me to back off of the Power Broker or I'd be next."

Fury nodded "Alright well let's see what she had."

Y/N carefully opened the package which included a large white envelope that felt like it was full of pictures and a zip lock with a post-it that said 'fingerprints'.

Fury called an intern in to take the prints for processing as Y/N pulled out a stack of pictures. Her jaw dropped as her heart sped up and she began to shake. There was one thing the pictures all had in common......

Sharon fucking Carter.

Chapter 2

[thatsolacegirl]

I'm in a mood to break some stuff so let's talk about how much I hated Loki S2's deleted scene. (I'm going to rant. This is an anti-Loki series post.)

We'll go through this one by one.

Variant!Loki is fresh out (somewhat) of the Battle of New York so, whatever happened Thor: TW onwards don't apply to Larry here.

He is the problem? But how? Didn't he attack Jotunheim Odin's approval. So, he tries to prove that he too could be like Thor (who was in fact very much in favour of killing frost giants since childhood). Also, didn't Loki work under Thanos' coercion (read: tortured because of the way he looked in Thor 1 post-credit scene & in the opening scene of The Avengers) to get the Tesseract? (1) (2) (3) What is this scene even? The start is just so jarring.

Let's go through the roll call:

Nick Fury: Well, he did indirectly call him a problem because Loki was threatening to invade Earth. So, yeah. But directly, he never called him a problem.

Erik Selvig: He was enthralled by Loki via Mind Stone. I don't think in any one of those scenes he was ever shown talking to Selvig which would imply that the latter even said to him that. I think the one time Erik Selvig bad-mouthed Loki was in T: TW where he was relieved that Loki was dead.

Bor: So, I'm going to admit this was tricky but, hear me out on this one. Bor is Odin's father. Odin became the king only after his death. Alright. So, if we are going according to the timeline by the time Odin went to war with Jotuns and consequently adopted baby Loki, he was already the king of Asgard. Bor was dead when Odin went to that war. Thus, Loki never met his adopted grandfather. SO, APPARENTLY, A DEAD ASGARDIAN CAN TALK TO LOKI? HOW COOL IS THE FACT THAT LOKI HAD THE ABILITY TO COMMUNE WITH THE DEAD?! (/s)

Laufey: Another can of worms, I suppose. So, in Thor 1, it had been shown that after the war in 925 AD, the Asgardian contact with Jotunheim had been forbidden. Loki let some of them in to ruin/delay Thor's coronation. The one time he met Laufey, they made a deal, never once Laufey told that Loki was the problem. Laufey, canonically (Thor 1), never even knew that Loki was his son.

Amora: I, for once, think that it would've been cool to see her, either in the series or in Thor 4. But it is often the fate of MCU women to either be a footnote in the men's stories or completely ruined by the narrative, or the writers' incompetence makes them unlikable (only a few are well-written female characters). So, I'm happy about the fact that the queen is still untouched.

Jane Foster & Darcy Lewis: Jane met him once in Thor: TW. During Loki's invasion of NY, she was hiding in Norway with Darcy. Jane had only met Loki because she went to Asgard for Aether's cure. Darcy, on the other hand (even tho I love the way he spoke her name and Tasertricks is my OTP), had never met him. She heard about him, she saw him destroy New Mexico via Destroyer but she had never met him to explicitly say that he was the problem.

Maria Hill: When did she even say that he was the problem? When she was chasing him?!

Heimdall (Heimdall was a big one, he got very upset): Okay, yeah, I get that. Heimdall & him had a long history. Again, I have no idea about their dynamics. And whenever we see them interacting, the animosity is very visible since Thor 1.

Warriors Three (Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun): Again, the history thing here too.

Absorbing Man: So, AoS canon? Also, when did Loki come down to Earth to fight the absorbing man and why I didn't know about it. When did pre-Avengers Loki meet him? I want to know.

Donald Blake (who Thor pretends to be when he goes to Earth): So, this made my eyebrows twitch for the reason that I saw Thor 1 recently (to add to a Darcy post) and everything he said about Donald Blake was just plain wrong. Thor took up the name of Donald Blake (1) when he was given the shirt by Jane--real Donald Blake was Jane's ex before Thor, (2) Darcy made a false driver's licence which mentioned his name as Donald Blake and not Thor, and (3) when Erik came to retrieve Thor, he called him Donald Blake. So, if Thor didn't choose this persona & was given to him by his Earth friends, then how could he had pretended to be him? Also, this name was only used in Thor 1, after Avengers 1, everybody knew him as Thor, his real name.

Hercules: Don't know much about this one here because (1) he's introduced in a post-credit scene & (2) in a Thor film I hate passionately. But he's as old as Thor & Loki, so, a history might be there. We don't know. The TVA series didn't show exactly how they were connected.

So, y'all might be thinking Sol, why are you whining and moaning, it is a deleted scene after all??

You see the writers wrote this scene. The writers who should've, no, must've made themselves familiar with the lore, WROTE THIS BULLSHIT SCENE. AND THE DIRECTOR(S) FILMED IT.

Also, Loki's series could have been the show in that he could've interacted with the people he mentioned but he didn't because it wasn't truly a Loki series, it was a TVA series.

I'm livid.

[screaminglygay]

KINKTOBER day 6

pairing: shapeshifter!maria hill x fem!reader

summary: someone flirts with you and maria can’t tolerate it.

warnings: pet play!!!, smut!!!, maria has a penis, blowjob, slapping, dirty talk, swearing, praising, addressing reader as “mutt, puppy, bitch”, not proofread, if anything else - let me know and I’ll add it

word count: 1.8k

an: this was short and so is my free time these days, I hate work and ughh, so sorry I’ve been inactive my life is just falling apart rn, so enjoy this smut <3 thank you for all the support! 💕

(Italics = your thoughts)

!MDNI!

Enjoy this spooky seasons and be safe!

"What is a pretty girl like you doing here alone?" A blonde lady asks you.

"Oh, I´m not here alone, my girlfriend is just in the bathroom," you smile at the girl, who is curently too close to your liking.

"Well if she´s in the bathroom, then we can have some fun, before she comes back." The girl touches your hand.

"Oh, no. No, thank you." You take a step away from her.

"Come on, don´t make a big deal out of it. Just a little fun, it won´t hurt you."

Before you can say anything, you feel a hand on your waist, that squeezes you very tightly. You know who it was, even if you were in a coma, you would recognize the touch.

"She said no, so get lost before you gonna get hurt." Maria says firmly as she dugs her nails into your sides.

"You are the girlfriend?" The blonde lady tilts her head and chuckles at Maria´s words.

The next thing you see is your girflriend basically dragging you out of the bar and the blonde girl on the ground with bloody face. To be honest she was asking for it, no is a no and that´s it. And you said it many times, so you are not really sorry for her.

"I can´t believe you." Maria mumbles as she opens the door for you, something she always did.

Early in your dating you once opened your door and she made you go back inside the car, so she could open the door for you, since that... you never open the door.

"You can´t be two minutes alone, god. You just have to be whoring yourself out, huh?" Maria finally looks at you. You sit in the car, not knowing what to say to her. "You´re not gonna say anything?" She slams the door and sits in the driver seat.

"I wasn´t whoring myself out-" you try to explan.

"Oh you weren´t? Look at you, you´re tits are basically out, you have this look in your eyes that says you wanna be fucked-" Maria scoffs, "I can´t believe you, honestly. You want the attention, right? You´re just so fucking needy, you can´t be a second without someone wanting you!" Maria starts the car and the rest of the ride was silent, the engine's gentle hum is the only sound breaking the silence that surrounds you both.

Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Maria's hands on the steering wheel, her knuckles white with frustration. Her jaw is set, and her brows are furrowed in a deep scowl. You steal a quick glance at her, but her gaze is fixed firmly on the passing scenery, her lips pressed into a thin, tight line.

You are screwed.

The radio remains off, a stark contrast to the usual joyful flirty conversations or catchy tunes that fill the air during your car rides. The world outside blurs as you both stew in your own thoughts, the miles passing.

Every so often, you look at her, the anger in the air grows so thick that you can practically taste it. You feel a weight in your chest, an ache of regret, and the unspoken words hang heavy between you. You consider breaking the silence, but Maria's demeanor warns you to stay quiet.

As the car finally pulls into the driveway, you breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the car ride has come to an end. However, the tension between you and Maria remains as thick as ever. She opens the door and then comes to your side, doing the same as always. Both of you make your way into the house.

Once inside, Maria turns to you, her anger still very visible. Her voice is sharp and cold as she says, "Go to the bedroom." Her words hang in the air, heavy and laced with authority.

Nervousness washes over you as you obey her command, knowing that this is far from over. You make your way to the bedroom, your heart pounding in your chest. The silence in the house is broken only by the sound of your footsteps and the distant noice of Maria´s action in the kitchen.

As you enter the bedroom, you can't help but wonder what will happen next. The tension in the air is almost unbearable, and you know that a storm is brewing.

Maria enters the bedroom, her expression still heavy with anger. She takes a deep breath and finally speaks, her voice tight and controlled. "We need to talk."

You nod, a lump forming in your throat as you prepare yourself for the conversation you've been dreading.

"Your behavior was unacceptable, and it embarrassed me. It´s just... I´ve spent so many weeks on training you and yet it was all for nothing." Maria speaks firmly.

You lower your gaze, feeling a sense of remorse for your actions.

Maria looks at you with this drive in her eyes. "I don't want to hear any apologies, not in words at least. I want you to show me that you're truly sorry."

You meet Maria's gaze, not really knowing if you´re alowed to say anything.

"You need to prove that you´ve learnt something. I need to see that you respect me, our relationship, and our rules." Maria firmly says.

The weight of her words sinks in, and you know that regaining her trust won't be easy, but it's something you're willing to work for. You´re staying quiet.

"You are allowed to talk, speak mutt." She is proud of you for following one of the rules.

You nod, "I understand, Maria. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right. I´m sorry."

"Good. Then we'll start with the learning again, and you'll have to earn back my trust." Maria says while moving closer to you.

As you watch her, you know that actions will indeed speak louder than words.

"Strip and take on your collar. You´ll be sleeping in your kennel tonight-" her words make you protest.

"But-" You whine, but she slaps you.

"You were saying something, mutt?" Maria holds your chin with a strong grip, her nails digging into your face.

Shaking your head quickly, was your only answer. It was some time, since you´ve slept in the kennel. When Maria met you, she knew you would be her good puppy, that she will train no matter what... and she did.

You were always so good for her, some punishments in the early days, but now? You were her precious little puppy, who did everything perfectly and you got rewarded for it. So it was a win win situation, till now.

You didn´t want to make her even more mad, so you did as you were told and got naked, took your collar and kneeled next to the bed. There was no chance she would let you on the bed right now.

Maria smiles as she watches you thinking in your head, what you can and cannot do. "Good, puppy. See? It´s not that hard to be good."

You didn´t do anything wrong today, at all, both of you know it, but Maria loves this type of game, and she knows very well, that you will play it too.

"I was thinking, mutt. Maybe you should get a little reminder, who owns you, because I feel like your little brain is too occupied with the thought of being fucked," she grabs your hair. "That you don´t care who will be the one fucking you." Maria yanks your hair and whispers in your ear, "I bet you´re dripping already."

You take a deep breath, as you know that tonight will be along one.

Maria´s hands cups your pussy. "Of course you are. You´re such a bitch in heat, you would let her take you there, right on the bar, right?" She´s mad mad right now.

"NO! I wouldn´t!" You know you don´t have the permission to talk, but you need to now, you need to show Maria, that you didn´t care about that girl. "I didn´t care about her, only you!"

"You´re forgetting who owns you, you´re forgetting your rules, I´m spoiling you too much now..." Maria slaps you again. "I can see it now, you´re a spoiled bitch." She sighs. "I don´t think I gave you permission to speak. So... use your mouth for better use."

As you try to take Maria´s pants off, you notice that she´s packing, you didn´t notice that before the club, maybe she took it right after you came back home.

But when you take off her pants you notice that it´s not a strap, it´s a real dick. Your eyes widen at that sight. But you didn’t have time to think about it into the depths.

"Go on, suck." Maria brngs your head to her crotch and you immedietly open your mouth.

You start with gentle long, slow licks from top to bottom the base, you know you´re doing a good job, when you hear Maria letting out her moans. You tease her a little with your tongue and she immediately responds by pushing your head further to her, your nose hitting her lower belly.

You make eye contact with her, both of your faces are sharing the same lust, that is now the main emotion, anger can´t no longer be found. You hold her in your throat for a few second before pulling out for a air, but you want to show her you can do it, so you dive back in, making her moan louder this time.

You can feel her twitch inside your mouth, she is close. Your movements are now slower and everything is just messier, spit is coming down your chin, onto your tits, which makes Maria go feral. "Fuck- just like that, puppy." You moan against her, which sends shivers up and down her spine. "You´re doing so good, so fucking good."

You want to show her, that you are hers and only hers, you move closer to her, her dick hitting the back of your throat, your hands are slowly coming to her balls, playing with them which makes Maria cum righ away.

Keeping still so she send her full load down your throat, you proudly swallow it whole, like the good puppy you are. "Just like that, good, very good-" Maria says out of breath.

You lick her clean, not letting a single drip of cum go to waste.

You look like a mess, but so does Maria. One of her fingers finding your chin and she wipes the little cum you had on your lower lip. Bringing the finger into her mouth and tasting herself. "Hm, I don´t blame you, why are you so addicted to my taste... I’m quite delicious." She makes you stand up. "Oh look at that mess you made!" You can see that you´ve ruined the carpet, it´s completly drenched from your juices. "I guess we gonna have way more fun with this ability."

"But- how did you?" You tilt your head, moving your hand to where her dick was a few moments ago, but now it´s just her wet pussy.

"I´ve trained my skills, something you should do too, puppy. So go to your kennel and I´ll think about letting you cum next week."

Maria was harsh, but the orgasms she gives you are worth the wait.

Hehe thank you for reading!:)

[a-spes]

Hii, I am back with more thoughts about Maria Hill 🙆

It is kinda in the same lines as the one I posted yesterday, and even though it can be read separately, you should really get a look at it :)

The woman is known for being rough with the new recruits, and you are no exception, but if there is something she can't bear is witnessing someone else being rude to her trainee. That is her privilege to roughing up her recruit.

Especially when those people have no reasons to do so because they are definitely not as good at the job as you are.

She knew something was up. She is not an idiot, she has seen the way you were so distant with your teammates and other people from your promotion. Yet, you were too stubborn to talk, keeping everything to yourself, insisting that you were fine despite her attempts to push you to share with her what was wrong. So the woman had to keep an eye from afar, and to figure out by herself what was happening.

It is weird the urge she felt to protect you from everything and everyone. She tried to ignore it, and it made the woman stricter during your training, but no matter how hard she would try to push this feeling away, it won't go.

When she saw you that day, starting a fight in the corridors with some of your teammate, she didn't hesitate before stepping in — "Get out of my view. Now," she said, and you were about to leave with the rest of them, maybe you were hoping that she hadn't even notice that you were here in the first place. "Not you," she added, and you should have know that it was a vain hope.

You have no idea what she is thinking about. Her expression is unreadable, as usual, and you can only imagine the things she is going to yell at you once you have reached her office — Probably how disappointed she is. Yet, you are surprised, because the door she eventually pushs is not her office's but the medbay's one, and nothing bad happened when you stepped in. The explosion you were waiting for never came, the woman didn't yell, she just signed for you to find a place to sit.

The screaming part never came. She just silently took care of the wounds in your face, and her touch was so gentle that it surprised you. She usually doesn't care about hurting you, especially not during training. Somehow, the realization made you cry, because it has been so long since the last time someone has been that gentle with you, and you are just realizing now what you have been missing.

You do not exacly know why, but you are not really getting along with the rest of your team. They keep pushing you away, hating you for stuff you haven't do. Before you could realize it, yourself was the only person you could count on, and you were slowly falling apart. The exhaustion, and the rought training with Commander Hill, made it harder to keep your emotions in check lately.

The woman was almost expecting it, when you started crying in her arms. She knows how rude the first weeks as an agent can be, especially when you don't have a team to help you to get through it. She is surprised that you didn't reach your breaking point earlier. Usually, recruits would snap at her out of her anger during the first few days of their trainings, or they would cry, but you haven't. Not until today.

And because she understands your situation, she didn't say a word. The woman just wrapped her arms around you, craddling you, and whispering soft words in your ear until you calm down. It is safe to say that, since that day, none of your teammates dared to try to annoy you again.

[gingiesworld]

Gingie’s 12 Days Of Christmas Event!!!

Taglist : @natashamaximoff-69 @canvascoloredin @wizardofstories @louxbloom @wandanats-goodgirl @the-ox-fan20 @ladyqueenxoxo @aemilia19 @wandaromamoff69 @mfd-101 @dorabledewdroop @marvelogic @dopeyouth

Gingie’s 12 Days Of Christmas Event

AN: Hey guys, I have made some changes to the event, changed some of the fics I will be posting. Also please remember this is an 18+ blog so please no Under 18's interact or you will be blocked.

13th Dec: Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader

Reader and Wanda spend a quiet Christmas together at the compound whilst everyone is spending it with their families. Showing Wanda how they spend Christmas as it is her 1st.

14th Dec: Last Christmas

Natasha Romanoff x GN! Reader

The year before, the reader was left heartbroken as their ex left them for the person they didn’t need to worry about. But as Tony hosts his yearly party, they realise that the person they’re supposed to be with was beside them all this time.

15th Dec: If We Make It Through December

Maria Hill x GN! Reader

The relationship between Maria and reader started off rocky. Reader was being sent on a mission over the holiday period, leaving the couple to worry about their relationship. Will they make it?

16th Dec: Unexpected Christmas

Gerri Fields x GN! Reader

Gerri had been getting pestered by her parents about her love life since leaving for college, so she asked reader if they would accompany her to her family christmas, not realising that hidden feelings will come forth as she overhears a conversation between her father and reader

17th Dec: Baby It’s Cold Outside

Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader

Wanda and reader have had a FWB kind of relationship, so one night she gets ready to leave Y/N’s house, seeing the snow coming down, although it breaks both of their hearts little by little every time she leaves, reader uses this opportunity to show her she means more to them than she knows.

18th Dec: I Don’t Want To Spend One More Christmas Without You

Natasha Romanoff x GN! Reader

Last Christmas, Nat was stuck on a mission with Steve, leaving Y/N alone at the compound to not celebrate. As Christmas time arrives, Nat gets called up for a mission, breaking Y/N’s heart. But she surprises them Christmas Eve

19th Dec: Dancing In The Snow

Jane Banner x GN! Reader

Jane shares a very special Christmas with Y/N, showing them how she spent Christmas with her parents as a child.

20th Dec: Tis The Season

Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader

Tis the season to be jolly. But what happens in the small town of Westview during this time of year? Especially when the first born child is being taken.

21st Dec: Kiss Me

Natasha Romanoff x GN! Reader

After an argument between Y/N and Tony happens at a party. Y/N leaves the Avengers only to receive a surprise revelation from Nat

22nd Dec: Meet Me Underneath The Tree

Leigh Shaw x GN! Reader

Y/N had been the first real relationship Leigh has had since losing Matt, even after her fling with Danny. Y/N knew after a couple of years being with Leigh, remaining by her side through all of her ups and downs, they knew she was the one they wanted to spend their life with.

23rd: Dec: We’re Family

Blackhill x Teen GN! Reader / Teen Wanda Maximoff x Teen GN! Reader

Y/N had been found at one of the Hydra facilities the avengers. Being an experiment, they bonded with the twins over their shared trauma. Although, they kept having their doubts, thinking that this was all a dream

24th Dec: I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader

Wanda is worried about the reader keeping their promise, since they were placed on a 6 month long undercover mission. Especially since she had realised her feelings for them. The two had been best friends since she came to the compound, but as the time went on they spent together, she had started to feel more for them.

25th Dec: T Swift Xmas Special

[midnightmayhem13]

Hii! Could I request the marvel ladies reaction to reader referring to them as her girlfriend for the first time <33

now i see daylight

this is so adorable! and ofc coming rightt up(ultra delayed post)

warning!- some suggestive bits(nothing specifically said)

Carol Danvers

once awhile, u and the girls go to a fancy jazz club. usually it's an excuse for you guys to dress up and get wine drunk and wake up feeling refreshed, albeit a lil hungover. this time, you and your lovely gf Carol go as a together. you wore a stunning navy blue dress and she wore a casual navy suit. Carol was drooling over you and she couldn't stop staring at you but you were also obsessing over ur sexy buff ass gf. you walk in hand in hand and go around the party talking to ur friends. you and carol separate for js a moment. when ur friends head home u sit there sipping ur drink alone and a man comes to sit next to you and start bugging you. "hey beautiful, you here alone?" "no im actually with someone" you answer sternly. thanks to Carols quick reflexes, you don't have to suffer long. she puts a firm hand on ur back and kisses the top of ur head. but thanks to the drinks he doesnt take the hint. "why don't u take me home dove; i'll show you want i can do." you and carol giggle. as she's about to say smt, you interupt. "actually" leaning into Carol, putting ur hand on her stomach as her hand goes over ur shoulder. "i'm gonna be taking my beautiful girlfriend home so you can go now." Gosh you've never looked sexier to carol. she honestly js starts fawning over you and lets out a THATS MY GIRL and hugs you super tight bc her heart js melted. you're so proud about being with her and she cannot contain the blush that's on her cheek. you two walk out (ur lipstick all over Carols face and neck) she's so giddy about the events that happened and cannot stop kissing u all over. it's like ur first date all over again and honestly, she can't wait to call u her wife!!

Darcy Lewis

Darcy is the smartest girl you know. and naturally as an Avenger you introduce her to Tony and safe to say he's very impressed with her and pats you on the back for finding such a brilliant girl. everyone likes Darcy too!! she makes you happy, she's hot, she's loyal, and mf is a Dr and an astrophysicist!! you always flaunt that. well when a big company asks the avengers to come work with them bc some sort of anomaly (think wandavision but no one's dead bc i said so) has accured and they need some brains and brawns. while tony and bruce alone were smarter than all of the companies scientists; they bit off more than they could chew. after a few weeks of all the scientists working at it, they only advance a bit. you go home and darcy comes over and you rant to her about it bc ur fed up. and suggest the idea of bringing her to help and she considers it. she spends the night so she might as well tag along and see what she can do. at first the companies big boss disregards her and even tries to push her away from the monitors. you grab his wrist "don't you touch her. and just so yk my girlfriend is smarter than all ur stupid scientists so i suggest you let her take a look so she can fix wtv ur men can't" Darcy is actually frozen to her spot bc that was so hot. the heat from her cheeks spread all the way down and she's at a loss for words. her face turns bright red and she nudges you too stop cutting the guys circulation off (she's well aware you'll break this guys arm for her). she thanks you and kisses ur cheek as she sits down. give her a few hours and BOOM. she's gotten to the bottom of the problem and has two possible ways to fix it, they both end up working. Darcy bugs about how much you brag about her. you give her a whole speech on why she's the greatest women ever as you hold her. she loves you with her whole heart and has never felt safer in her big bad avengers gfs arms.

Maria Hill

Even though Maria is always incredibly busy with Shield, and you with the avengers, you always find time to be together. but being women of high power has never been easy. that being said, both of you get looked down on even after showing ur skill time and time again. so you arrive at headquarters looking for your bad ass gf, carrying with you a few treats so she doesn't forget to eat. as you make ur way towards everyone they seem to be doing their usual thing. you could spot her from a mile away away. she's the most beautiful women you've ever laid eyes on. you approach her. her eyes land on you and her face immediately lights up. she greats you with a tight hug, a kiss on the head and then the lips. she's gotten more comfortable with being affectionate at work, you notice. "thank you baby" she says sweetly, completely contrasting to the harsh tone she uses with her troops. "i'll be back in a second" she goes to tell her most trusted troop to take charge as she steps out for a second. almost as if she cannot live in peace, a scrawny, insecure guy comes out of nowhere and starts complaining about Maria being off duty (who even is he) he starts causes a scene and honestly makes you laugh a bit. you two go to walk off to ignore him and suddenly the hoe grabs you!! yeahh maria is not gonna let this go. but when she goes to interfere but yank your arm away "my girlfriend has all of this under control so why don't you turn around and get back to work, the nerve of you!" Maria jaw is DROPPED. i mean she knew you could get serious but seeing her adorable gf give commands does something to her body. almost as if she's shy being in ur presence. she's sure she's never smiled bigger. you turn around and grab her had and guide her to the break room. she feels like she has a silly little school girl crush as she giddily follows you around.

sharon carter

(this is power broker sharon bc she's hot but no one's dead BC I SAID SO) To say sharon was kinda nervous about telling you about her job was an understatement. i mean you were an avenger but also the love of her life. it was a long talk but you got it to work. anyways you hung around a lot at her place bc hello?? it's huge and you love seeing ur hot gf do illegal ass things bccc she wasn't an avenger level threat (yet) so by ur logic, we're chilling. and she was on okay terms with steve, bucky and sam. when she hosts her auctions you're always welcome to come to them too! you want to be there just in case the worse happens, even tho she's more than capable of controlling it. but that doesn't mean you're safe from any guys or gals that want to hit on you. if they know who you are, you're okay but if they don't know who you are or have a death note they'll hit on you. usually you hang low or by the bar bc sharon's busy at these events. as you sip your favorite margarita you feel a tap on your shoulder. a security guard? "uhm hi can i help you?" you ask politely. unbeknownst to you sharon's watching (she always is) and heading her way over to you. the guards are specifically told not to speak to you unless u speak to them. she's possessive what can you say. "i'm not sure you're on the list your gonna have to step out" he says roughly grabbing ur arm and tugging you off your stool. sharon is basically bolting at this point. "my girlfriends the owner of this place and is the reason you buy ur meals so get off of me" you say and push him back. he's about to tackle you bc yk ego. until he sees an arm snake around your waist. oh sh*t. "get the hell out my house" sharon says and he gets escorted out. you'll probably never hear from him again. sharon grabs your waist and pulls you impossibly close to her as she places her lips on yours. "that was so sexy baby" she says on ur lips. her stern demeanor almost broke when she heard you calling her your girlfriend so proudly. it made her knees want to buckle and she felt like kicking her feet. she finally got the girl of her dreams and u guys were a match made it heaven. she can't stop thinking of this moment for months to come and definitely shows how proud she is of you later that night.

Nebula

nebula thought she was gonna be a lot of things in life. but never did she think she was gonna be the girlfriend of the most beautiful and kind girl in the galaxy. she seriously never expected to ever be blessed by your presence much rather be loved so deeply by you. although she's been weary of love her whole life, you've completely changed her perspective. you love her so deeply it's almost unfathomable. that being said, anything you guys are in a new planet and go explore you always make sure to stick to her side. who's gonna mess with ur big ass blue gf?? not to mention she's possessive with you and aggressive with anyone but you. she's also so gentle with her sweet girl. so you'd expect any on looker to stay away from you bc nebula likes to walk around with her hand on ur butt while holding you close. but when some weird looking dude approaches nebula immediately become alert but all he does is aggressively bump into her "hey watch where the hell your going u got ur dirty paws on my girlfriend!" you yell as you grab wtv the hell is on top of his (maybe hair??) and he has no other choice but to apologize to nebula. when he leaves nebula is left speechless. why are you so proud that ur dating her?she can't control herself tho and pulls you into an ally to passionately make out with you. that was so hot. she lifts you by ur butt and presses you against a wall. you giggle and pull away as she chases ur lips "what's with this nebby?" "i love you." she says hoarsely. she didn't know how to respond to the whole situation. she couldn't care less about what the guy said or didn't say. but you loved her so much and we're so open about it. she was gonna love you forever.

kate bishop

Kates sure you could do something so simple as breathing and she would get giddy. she's no kidding. she absolutely adores you and you adore her. that's why you two just work. and while not all things come to you guys that simple most things do. you to do have your fights but they can usually be resolved with a good talk followed by a movie marathon with pizza and Lucky cuddles. so that's what you guys are doing right now. don't get me wrong, this happens on a weekly bases not just when you guys are having an argument. it's just a chill saturday afternoon, both you and kate resting from having a hard week in training and working with adults who never seemed to be pleased with any improvement in any skill. but anyways. you kate and lucky are all cuddled up on her couch as you decide what movie to pick out. as if it's a 6th sense kate suddenly gasps "we didn't order pizza!" and even lucky pops his head up, distraught by this horrible news. you have a good laugh but kate is seriously concerned about this. you stroke her hair and kiss it and tell her you'll order it rn. kate js smiles snuggly at lucky (who she high fives) as she leans her head on ur tit and receives head rubs. you call her favorite pizza place and order ur usual order while she finds a few movies to binge. thanks to nyc, ur pizza arrives in no time. and when you hear the bell ring you and lucky go answer the door. kates too busy complaining cuz her pillows gone. as you answer the door luckys right there as ur security. "haha your dogs really cute!" says the delivery guy "thank you my girlfriend found him!" you say simply as you tip him and close the door. kate literally gets up and runs around as she squeals. you thought she was just really hungry but after she picks you up when you put the pizza down she tells you other wise. she spins you around and cannot take the big goofy smile off her face. she's left speechless but her smile speaks for her. when you ask her about it your heart melts at how pure she is. the rest of the night she's has that smile on her face as she's resting on ur favorite pillow, you!!

a/n- so sorry this took so long and it's kinda crappy! i was kinda stuck so they all sound similar but hopefully you guys enjoyed! send requests!!🤍🤍

stay safe hoes🤍

[wandasreallover]

In sickness and in health(mother figure!wanda)

Warnings: addiction, major character death, depression, angst/comfort, brief maria hill x reader, extremely self indulgant

Summary: wanda drags you back from the point of no return but its up to you to heal, wanda can help you all she wants but ultimately the decision is up to you will you give in to temptation?

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The rain drummed softly on the roof, its percussion a gentle cover to the somber air weaving through the old house. Wanda stood in the kitchen, fidgeting with a chipped porcelain mug, her heart heavy with worry. Every tick of the clock felt like an eternity. She had learned the art of patience over the years, but waiting for someone she cared about to return home was much harder than keeping a garden alive.

When the door creaked open, a chill drifted in with the wind, followed by an unmistakable air of guilt. Wanda turned, a flood of emotions spilling into her chest as she saw [Y/N] step inside. The girl was very much a woman now, but there was something heartbreakingly fragile in her gaze-like glass teetering on the edge of a table, ready to shatter at any moment.

[Y/N] stood there, drenched from the rain, her jeans torn and her T-shirt loosely hanging from her shoulders. There were dark circles beneath her eyes that hinted at sleepless nights. The confidence she often masqueraded in seemed stripped away, leaving only raw vulnerability. Wanda took a deep breath, unsure of what to say.

"Where have you been?" she finally asked, her voice gentle but firm, echoing with a protective undertone.

"I... I needed some time," [Y/N] replied, her words heavy, filled with the burden of unspoken truth.

Wanda stepped closer, hands outstretched in a familiar, comforting gesture. "You know you don't have to hide from me. Whatever's going on, we can face together."

A bitter laugh escaped [Y/N]'s lips, and she shook her head, creating a fragile dismissal. "You don't understand, Wanda. I'm fine."

"Fine? You were gone for days," Wanda pressed, her concern pulse racing alongside the rapidly fading daylight. "19 but you act like an adult?, like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. No one should have to bear that alone."

[Y/N] averted her eyes, staring at the floor, where dark splotches betrayed the rain-soaked entries of her shoes. "I'm tired, Wanda. Just really tired."

The familiar warmth surged through Wanda, a mix of compassion and sorrow. "Tired of what, sweetheart? You don't have to pretend to be strong around me."

"I... It's hard to explain." [Y/N]'s voice was barely a whisper now. "I wish I didn't feel like this, but it's all-consuming."

As silence fell between them, Wanda stepped forward, braving the space that had grown too vast, too filled with shadows and dripping secrets. "You don't have to carry this burden alone, [Y/N]. It's okay to lean on someone. I'll be here-always."

"But what if I slip?" [Y/N] burst out, emotion clawing at her throat. "What if I fall back into... my old habits? I hate it, Wanda. I hate needing it. I hate that I let it control me."

Wanda gently lifted [Y/N]'s chin, bringing their eyes level. "And that's the first step, acknowledging your struggle. It's okay to fall, but it's also okay to rise again."

For a moment, [Y/N] hardened, a fierce pride flashing in her eyes. But then, just as quickly, the façade crumbled, and she stepped into the comforting embrace of Wanda's arms. There, enveloped in warmth, the dam broke.

"I'm scared," [Y/N] mumbled against Wanda's shoulder, tears soaking the fabric of her shirt. "I was doing so well, but then... I don't know. I felt so lost. All this pressure to be someone I'm not... it made me run."

Wanda held her tighter, the rhythmic thrum of regret rattling beneath each heartbeat. "You're not alone. You've fought a hard battle and you don't have to do it on your own anymore. I'm proud of you for coming back and facing this."

[Y/N] drew back slightly, searching Wanda's eyes for the truth she so desperately craved. "I don't want to be broken. I don't want to be a problem."

"You're not broken." Wanda's voice was steady, filled with the kind of love that only a maternal figure could evoke. "You're human. You're allowed to feel weak, you're allowed to ask for help. You're allowed to be vulnerable."

It was then [Y/N] understood that all the years of independence she had chased-being the adult in the room, keeping her head above water-had only led her deeper into isolation. She longed for guidance, for love, for the comfort of acknowledging her darkness without fear of judgment.

"I wish I could just stop," [Y/N] finally admitted, a tremor in her voice. "I wish I could erase the bad parts of me."

"You can't erase who you are, but you can choose lighter paths ahead." Wanda placed her hands on [Y/N]'s shoulders, grounding her with a gaze that could anchor even the most tumultuous of storms. "Let's take it one step at a time. I'm right here with you."

Tears continued to streak down [Y/N]'s cheeks, but a flicker of hope stirred in her heart. "Will you help me? Will you stay?"

"Always," Wanda promised. "You deserve to be free from the shadows that haunt you. We can find that light together, I swear."

As [Y/N] clung to Wanda, hope began to weave its way back into her life. It would be a long journey ahead, filled with challenges and discomfort, but for the first time in a long time, she felt a shift. She wasn't alone anymore.

Ofcourse she couldn't just accept this good thing like a normal person that was impossible. Her mind always to betray her. Despite wandas unwavering support [y/n] still felt as alone as ever. Which lead her to now, back exactly where she started.

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The room cloaked in darkness, save for the flickering candlelight casting shadows that danced on the walls. You sat on the floor, surrounded by remnants of your struggle-empty bottles, crumpled wrappers, and the echoes of your own despair. Each item told a story of promises broken and battles lost, and the weight of it all pressed down on your chest like a heavy stone.

Wanda had tried to help you, her gentle spirit always reaching out, always hopeful. She was a beacon of light in your tumultuous world, a mother figure who had taken you under her wing when you felt most lost. But despite her unyielding support, the darkness that enveloped you felt insurmountable.

You could still hear her voice as she had pleaded with you just days before. “Please, don’t do this to yourself. I can’t watch you hurt like this.” The concern in her eyes had cut deeper than any words could. You could see the worry etched on her face, the way her brows knitted together in anguish as she tried to pull you back from the edge.

But you were trapped in your own mind, a prisoner of addiction that you couldn’t escape. You wished you could be stronger, that you could fight the cravings and the pain, but every time you thought you had a handle on it, the darkness would creep back in, dragging you under once more.

As you sat there, tears streaming down your cheeks, you picked up your phone, scrolling through your messages. There were countless texts from Wanda, each one filled with concern and love. But there were also unanswered calls, the silence between you growing like a chasm that felt impossible to bridge. You couldn’t face her—not like this.

You thought of how much you wanted to be the person she believed you could be, the person who could stand tall and proud, free from the chains of addiction. But each time you tried, the weight of your reality pulled you back down. The more you sit here the more you felt guilty wanda truely believed in your recovery, she invested her time and her heart into helping you get better but once again you've proved that your beyond help.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening broke the silence, and your heart raced. You quickly wiped your tears, attempting to hide the chaos around you. But it was too late. Wanda stepped into the living room, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her.

“Oh, [Y/N],” she whispered, her voice breaking. She rushed over, kneeling beside you, her hands trembling as they reached out to touch your arm. “What have you done?”

You couldn’t meet her gaze, shame flooding your senses. “I’m sorry,” you managed to choke out, the words barely escaping your lips. “I didn’t mean to… I just… It’s too hard.”

Wanda’s expression softened at your admission, tears pooling in her eyes. “I know it’s hard, but you don’t have to do this alone. I’m here for you. Please let me help you.”

But you shook your head, the pit in your stomach growing deeper. “I’m too far gone, Wanda. I don’t know if I can come back from this.”

Her hands tightened around your arms, her grip firm yet gentle. “You’re not gone. You’re right here, and I refuse to give up on you. I love you too much to let you slip away.”

Those words cut through the fog of despair, piercing your heart with a mix of longing and sadness. You wanted to believe her, to trust that there was a way out of the darkness, but the fear of failing her again loomed large.

“I wish I could be different,” you whispered, the weight of your emotions crashing over you like a tidal wave. “I wish I could be sober.”

Wanda’s eyes sparkled with tears as she pulled you into a tight embrace, her warmth enveloping you like a cocoon. “You can be. It won’t be easy, but I’ll be right here with you every step of the way. We’ll face this together.”

As you cried into her shoulder, you felt a flicker of hope ignite within you, a small flame that dared to believe in the possibility of healing. You could hear her heartbeat, steady and reassuring, a reminder that you were not alone in this battle.

In that moment, surrounded by the remnants of your struggle and the unwavering love of the woman who had become your anchor, you realized that maybe, just maybe, you could find a way back to yourself. It would take time, patience, and a lot of courage, but with Wanda by your side, the fight felt a little less daunting. Well until the next relapse that is because its only a matter of time right?

That was six years ago and i have been sober every day since and i put it all down to wanda the woman whom i owe my entire life as she as dragged me to this moment. Stood in front of the mirror, my heart racing as I adjusted my veil for the third—or was it the fourth—time. The dress fit like a dream, a delicate blend of lace and satin that whispered promises of love. It was the day I had dreamed about for as long as I could remember—my wedding day. Yet, the tingle of excitement was mixed with a bittersweet ache in my heart.

The room was filled with soft sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the collection of flowers and jumbled accessories that had been thoughtfully arranged. Laughter floated in from the hallway, a joyous cacophony as my friends busily prepared for the ceremony. I could hear nats’s infectious giggle and clints’s teasing comments. They were trying to distract me from the swirling thoughts in my head, but one person’s absence felt enormous.

Wanda.

In those moments of reflection, I couldn't help but think about everything that had led me to this moment. Wanda Maximoff, the woman who had become more than just a mentor or a friend. She had filled the void left long ago—taught me the meaning of family, love, and sacrifice. We had faced our greatest challenges together, and she had always believed in me even when I doubted myself.

My fingers absentmindedly traced the locket around my neck, a gift from Wanda. Inside, it held a picture of us two years ago, laughing after a long day of training. “To remember the journey,” she had said with a smile. I couldn’t shake the thought of her not being here, not as a participant but as the mother I had always needed.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and my best friend Mia rushed in, her expression a mixture of excitement and concern. “Okay, deep breaths! You can’t have a wedding without the bride!” She fluffed the layers of my dress with a flourish, then paused. “You okay?”

I forced a smile, but Mia saw through it. “You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?”

I nodded, my throat tightening. “It’s just… I wish Wanda could be here today. I feel like she’s missing all the important moments.”

Mia clasped my shoulders, her eyes shimmering with empathy. “She’s here, in spirit. You know how she is—she’ll be watching over you. I remember how proud she was when you found your true love—she could light up a room just talking about you.”

Warmth spread through me at the thought. Yes, Wanda would be here, clad in her vibrant red and ready to cheer me on in her own way. She had always said love was the strongest force in the universe, a bond that couldn’t be broken even by distance.

The sound of the faintest melody wafted through the open window—our family and friends were gathering, their voices a reassuring presence as I prepared to walk down the aisle. My heart swelled as the realization hit me: I didn’t have to walk this path alone. I carried the love and wisdom that Wanda had instilled in me. She had taught me strength, resilience, and the beauty of vulnerability.

“Let’s do this!” Mia cheered, breaking my reverie and pulling me toward the door.

As we stepped into the soft sunlight, the world felt covered in a golden hue. The garden where the ceremony was to take place was adorned with rustic wooden arches draped in flowers. Guests mingled, their faces bright with joy, as they turned their attention to me. Everything shimmered with love, but there was still an empty space meant for Wanda.

When I reached the altar, my heart raced again, but not with trepidation. My eyes fell on mara standing beneath a floral arch, her gaze warm and reassuring. She was everything I had dreamed of: kind, loving, and unwavering. Her smile ignited a rush of memories; the way Wanda had looked at me when I first introduced them, her approving nod full of warmth—and that overwhelming sense of love.

As the officiant began her speech, I looked around at everyone I cherished. Everyone was here, united not just for us but by the threads of stories that connected each person standing before me. I closed my eyes for a moment, visualization flooding my mind: Wanda smiling, her hair catching the sunlight, her laughter ringing in the air.

And then I felt a gentle warmth enveloping me—a sudden rush of love and clarity, as if Wanda was saying, "You’ve got this, my dear." I opened my eyes, confidence coursing through me. I was not just a reflection of her love; I was also a testament to her teachings and strength.

The moment I stepped closer to Maria we exchanged knowing glances. Our connection felt electric, like we were standing at the climax of our shared story; one that would continue to evolve, but never alone.

Each vow I exchanged with her felt as if it were woven from the fabric of my journey alongside Wanda. “To love and to cherish, through all challenges,” echoed through the air, and I could visualize her proud smile, her joy root-like deep within my heart.

As I said “I do,” I couldn’t help but glance over at the empty seat next to my parents. I imagined Wanda seated there, tearing up—she had always been the one to wear her heart on her sleeve. Amidst the bliss, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the one who had guided me to this point.

The moment the officiant pronounced us married, applause erupted, loud and warm. My heart leaped; I was married to my true love, standing among those who mattered most. Yet it was incomplete without Wanda, the strong, fearless woman who had fostered my spirit and bravery.

As the festivities truly began, I made my way through joyful faces, laughing and dancing, all the while feeling Wanda’s presence. It was as if she were dancing among them, sharing in the happiness around me. I could sense her whispering her blessings, urging me to embrace this new chapter with an open heart.

The night glimmered with happiness and laughter as stars began to twinkle overhead. Surrounded by loved ones, I basked in the love that was strong enough to bridge any divide.

Though she may not have been physically present, Wanda’s love wrapped around me like an embrace. I was home, and I was ready for the journey ahead, eternally grateful for the mother figure who had carved a path for me to follow—a path filled with love laughter, and a future yet to unfold.

[perotovar]

ásjá - a winter solstice story

Ásjá by Heilung (i highly recommend listening to this while reading)

Our second single release is a love song. Maria sings to the listener of love, recovery and prosperity, chasing away evil and welcoming love. The piece contains a quotation of some lines of “Hávamál”, combined with a selection of blessing words meant to provide help to the listener in a troubled time. Kai brought his vocal part of 'Asja' back to us after a month of isolation, fasting and meditation in nature. Only the spirits know the full meaning, but we do know that the context is love, prosperity and protection.

pairing: pero tovar/ofc!helga (but this is mostly a character study) rating: T word count: 7.4k (idk what happened here) warnings: minor swearing, google translated spanish (sorry), historical inaccuracies in favor of fantasy/magic, my american norse pagan perspective of these practices, if i missed anything else lemme know! dividers by @saradika-graphics beta and norwegian translations by the lovely @chloeangelic thank you, honey ♥

summary: Pero picks up a contract that leads him "somewhere up North", but what he finds instead is unlike anything he imagined for himself. Or, what would happen if Pero encountered the Vikings during their winter celebration?

this is apart of @hellishjoel's 12 days of pedro. thank you for including me, kylee, and make sure you all read the other presents!

god jól, everyone🌲❄️🌙🐺

It was fucking cold.

With shaking hands and numb limbs, Pero made his way further up the hill. The wind picked up the further he went into the trees. 

The contract he’d taken up was for a man by the name of Ingvar. A strange name to Pero’s ears, but that hardly mattered to him. This Ingvar was to be taken care of, and Pero had to show proof. 

Not a problem.

The problem, at least for the moment, was the fucking weather and his own lack of foresight. He was told that Ingvar was “somewhere up North”, and that was it. He didn’t exactly plan for just how cold it would be. His fingers were going numb and red, and he saw every breath that left his lungs. If William were here, he’d tell Pero to quit his “bitching” and to make camp.

The camp, he could do. The bitching? Unlikely. 

Pero and William separated after the… events in China. They stayed together to do a few jobs together, but William decided to make his way back to China and meet up with Lin Mae again, possibly even settle down. Pero didn’t fancy seeing the people that had arrested and almost killed him, and black powder wasn’t worth the trouble anymore. At least not to him. He rather liked the uncertainty of his job. Found comfort in it, in fact. His future was set for him in this line of work. He would live doing the things he loved most; fighting, fucking, and drinking. And the ending was always the same. At least, that’s what he told himself.

A low whisper brought Pero out of his thoughts. He snapped his head towards the direction of the sound and furrowed his already heavy brow. The sound of a raven cawing caught his attention, making him hum skeptically to himself before deciding this was as good a spot as any for a fire. 

Once settled on a fallen tree and attempting to warm his hands with his meager fire, Pero dug into his travel pack. He grumbled at the pitiful excuse for food he had left. He grabbed a piece of thick, dry bread and started ripping off chunks and eating that. Perhaps he could hunt? Find a rabbit, or something a little bigger. He remembered to make a bow this time. Swallowing the last chunk of the bread, he picked up his bow and arrows, and threw his cloak-slash-blanket over his shoulders. It was going to be dark soon, and he didn’t like the idea of starving his first night in this frozen Northern hell.

Another whisper.

Pero’s body went taut. He looked between the tall trees and the endless sea of white ahead of him. Nothing. A rabbit hopped by, distracting him. Before he could think too hard, he knocked an arrow and let fly. The arrow landed in the snow just after the rabbit hopped away.

“Mierda,” he grumbled. (Shit.)

He crouched low and slowly followed after the rabbit. He made his way toward a small clearing, which seemed to be in the center of the forest, if his tracking skills were getting any better.

There was a large stone in the middle, towards the top of the clearing. There looked to be a large blood stain in the center of it. Pero raised a brow and grunted quietly. This was none of his business, clearly.

Suddenly, the rabbit made its way to the middle of the clearing, next to the large stone. Pero sighed and lined up a shot, hoping for the best. He released a breath at the same time that the arrow left his fingers, and another whisper passed through his ears.

He gasped quietly and time seemed to stop as the arrow traveled through the cold air. A shiver ran down his spine that had nothing to do with the weather. He closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath, trying to make himself as still as possible. 

The sound of the arrow piercing the rabbit startled him out of his frozen state. He blinked a few times, the white forest coming back into view as he looked down at the dead rabbit in the clearing. He exhaled and slowly stood, settling his bow on his shoulder. He looked around again, and when he saw nothing, slowly made his way down the hill and towards the center of the clearing.

He picked up the dead rabbit and removed the arrow, tucking it into his belt to clean and use again later. Standing in the center of the clearing, he looked over at the bloodstained stone and felt that shiver go down his spine again. He looked up at the gray sky and decided it was time to go back to his camp. He hooked the rabbit’s carcass onto his belt, pulled the cloak over his shoulders tighter, and shoved his hands inside the fabric.

“Maldita nieve,” he grumbled to himself. (Fucking snow.) As he climbed back up the hill, he felt a sharp pain in his foot and lost his balance, catching himself with his hands in the snow. He hissed loudly and looked down at his boot. A small spike was poking out through the top, meaning the sharp rock was piercing through his foot. He groaned and leaned against the hill, steadying his breathing. He counted to three in his head and yanked the rock from his foot. “Fuck,” he exhaled loudly, a few drops of his own blood covering his palm as he looked at the rock. A small symbol was carved into it, making him squint his eyes, trying to decipher what it was. Pero shook his head and sighed, pocketing the strange rock to inspect later.

On his way back to his little camp, limping the whole way to not put too much pressure on his foot, he grabbed some branches to make the fire last a little longer. Once the meager fire came into view, he swore he saw someone sitting on the log he was using before. He froze in place, heavy boots landing in the snow abruptly. He squinted his eyes and grew confused. An old man? What would he be doing out here? 

Pero looked around the frozen forest to see if there was anyone that could be with the old man. When he didn’t see anyone, he looked back at the campfire, and the old man was gone. He’d completely vanished. Pero grunted quietly and rubbed his eyes with frozen fingers. He shook his head to snap himself out of it and made his way over to the campfire.

After putting the rabbit on the spit and it started to cook, Pero made his bed for the night. He’d do his best to sleep, but didn’t have high hopes. Once the rabbit was cooked, he stabbed it with his knife and started eating it messily. He groaned at the taste of fresh, hot, cooked meat and enjoyed it, even if it was pretty bland. It warmed his bones a little and made him more comfortable, pulling the cloak tighter around his shoulders.

The sound of a branch snapping behind him went unnoticed by Pero’s ears, too focused on the food. He hadn’t eaten in days. The second snap, however, was heard, and it made him drop the rabbit onto the ground and grab his sword, brandishing it in front of him as he stood.

“¿Dónde estás, bastardo?” He grumbled under his breath, his heavy breaths puffing out into smoke. (Where are you, bastard?)

He sighed in frustration when he didn’t see anything. He was seriously starting to consider if this contract was even worth it. And if it wasn’t, would he be able to make it back without dying? Either from the cold, or whatever it was that was playing with him. He mumbled obscenities to himself and sat back down on his fallen tree.

He picked up the rabbit and groaned at the dirt now covering it. He blew off what he could and decided to continue eating it, dirt be damned. He was hungry.

Once full, he looked up at the moon in the sky, trying to figure out how late it was. He rubbed his hands over his arms to keep warm and added a branch or two to his fire. He grabbed a piece of spare cloth from his travel pack and quickly wrapped his foot. He laid down next to the fire and pulled the cloak up over his shoulders and shut his eyes. He didn’t feel tired, but he couldn’t help closing his eyes. He tried to fight it, to keep his guard up, but it was useless. 

He started to feel lightheaded and turned onto his back, looking up at the moon again. The moon and the stars, so bright he almost didn’t need the campfire, were swirling around and moving in close and further away. The trees surrounding him looked to be moving side to side. 

What was happening? Did the old man poison him somehow? Who was that old man?

His vision went blurry and he felt like he was spinning in place despite laying on the ground, completely still. He let out a weak groan and tried to move, reaching for his sword. 

The last thing he saw before his vision went black, was the silhouette of a large dog, or perhaps a wolf, in the distance hidden behind the trees.

Warmth. He felt warm. And a pounding headache.

Pero slowly blinked awake and groaned at the light that hit his eyes. The smell of cooked meat and root vegetables hit his nostrils. His stomach whined in protest. 

“For en merkelig fyr…” An older male voice said, somewhere behind him. (He is a strange one…)

“Kjekk, da,” A younger, female voice replied. (Handsome, though.)

He didn’t understand any of it. It wasn’t a language he’d heard before. Eyelids fluttering, he slowly opened his eyes to a small gathering of people all looking down at him. He startled and reached for his knife, and grunted when he didn’t feel it.

“Vi har våpnene dine. De er trygge.” (We have your weapons. They’re safe.)

Pero turned his head in the direction of the voice and squinted his eyes at the woman. She looked to be in her 30s, with a baby attached to her breast and drinking.

“No entiendo,” he grumbled, voice hoarse from lack of use. “¿Dónde estoy?” (I do not understand. Where am I?)

He took in his surroundings, now sitting up, and saw that he looked to be in a small room cut off from a much larger group of people. He heard laughter and song outside the cloth separating the, assumed, larger hall from where he was now. He furrowed his brows. A celebration? What for?

“¿Dónde estoy?” He repeated, voice slightly harsher. (Where am I?)

“Har ikke hørt det språket før,” one of the men said. (Haven’t heard that tongue before.) Pero looked up at him and squinted his eyes slightly. The man was large, with a full beard, and an even fuller middle. But there was no denying his strength; age hadn’t stopped this man from doing well in a fight, Pero assumed. Not that he couldn’t take him, of course. He looked at the man’s belt and saw a one-handed axe attached to his belt and thought better of it, especially without his own weapons. 

Suddenly a small sting came from his foot and he snapped his head down at the young woman tending to the wound he’d gotten on his way back from the clearing. He’d almost completely forgotten about it, too cold to even really feel it. The young woman startled and blushed, keeping her head down as she cleaned the cut. 

“Det er et vakkert språk, da, er det ikke?” The first younger woman’s voice came through, a slightly entranced tone to it. (It is a beautiful tongue, though, no?) He looked to his left and saw her batting her eyelashes at him. He huffed a breath in amusement. He’d had his fair share of women giving him looks like that, almost always with a payment in mind, but his thoughts were elsewhere, even if it did feel nice. And she was a tad too skinny for his own tastes.

Pero exhaled. This was clearly getting nowhere. Fine. “Where am I? You know English, yes?” He asked, exasperated, in the general direction of anyone who might be able to answer him. 

The shy girl cleaning his wound lifted her head and smiled softly at him. “I know a little,” she said quietly, her voice heavily accented.

“Finally,” he sighed. “What is going on?”

“A few of our men found you in the forest, passed out. Your lips were blue.” She won’t make eye contact with him, bur her brows furrowed like she was worried for him. “We have lost some of our own men in a similar way before. It is not pretty.”

Pero hummed softly and nodded his thanks. “Did any of them see an old man? In the woods?”

The girl tilted her head and asked the man next to him, the one with the axe in his belt, if any of them had seen such a man. The man raised a brow and shook his head, looking at Pero skeptically. 

“Ingvar says–”

“Yes, I understood, thank you–” Pero cut himself off and looked back at the man with the axe. This was Ingvar? Pero looked back at the girl and nodded his head as she bandaged his wound, his own cloth wrapped around his ankle. He would have to be careful if he was to carry out this contract. “Thank you,” he repeated, the words foreign on his tongue.

The girl nodded, cheeks pink, and stood to leave. As she left, the cloth covering them moved to show a large fire in the middle of the hall with an even larger feast around it. The girl came back with a tankard of something for him and he took it gratefully. As the sweet liquid hit his tongue, he coughed slightly.

“What is this?” He wheezed a little, looking at the cup like it slapped his mother.

The girl giggled before saying, “Mead. It is honey wine.”

Pero rolled the words around his tongue for a moment. “Interesante,” he hummed to himself. (Interesting.)

“Vel, han er våken. Tilby ham noe å spise, men hold øye på ham. Han ser ut som en leiesoldat, og jeg stoler ikke på ham,” Ingvar grunted, leaving the room and rejoining the festivities. (Well, he is up. Invite him to eat, but keep an eye on him. He looks like a mercenary and I do not trust him.)

Pero watched him closely as he left, and took another drink of his mead, eyes hard. 

“Would you like some food, mister-”

“Tovar,” Pero grunted. “Yes. I am very hungry.” He turned on the cot and got to his feet quickly, but quickly lost his balance, a couple of the women catching him as he stood on shaky legs. He sighed in frustration and stood on his own, shrugging off their help. The girl held her arm out to him, and didn’t seem too offended when he just stared at it.

“Tovar. This way,” she smiled, her face a little pinched. 

“What are you celebrating?” He asked, looking around at all the food. His stomach roared at the smells.

“It is the third night of Jól. You have heard of Jól?” She asked excitedly, turning to him as she found a place for him to sit. He slowly made his way down at a long table nearby where Ingvar sat at the head of the table. A leader. This contract was getting more difficult by the second.

“I have not,” he grumbled. “What is this… Yool?” 

The girl giggled again, this time at his attempt at the word. “Jól is the celebration that welcomes back the sun from the harsh Winter. Our crops start growing as the sun comes back, and the snow melts away.”

Pero hummed as he listened, nodding his thanks when she handed him a full plate of different meats, root vegetables, bread, and cheese. “You are farmers?”

The girl nods. “Most of us. Some are warriors.”

Pero hummed again, chewing on a piece of meat. “How did you learn English?”

The girl turned a little sad, but smiled anyway. “We used to have a man that came from… Eng-land? He died last year,” she sighed. “He taught me and a few of the children how to read and speak English. How did you learn?”

Pero frowned around his food and sighed.

“I am sorry, forget–” Pero held up a hand to stop her. “Apologies. I am… unused to kindness from strangers,” he grunted, not meeting her eyes. “A dear friend of mine is from Scotland. We have separated so he could be with his woman. He taught me.”

“Scotland?”

“It is near England.”

She nodded, slowly picking at her own food. The two of them grew quiet and just ate for a while. The celebrations continued around them, and it gave Pero a chance to take it all in.

In the center of the hall was a large hearth, with an even larger tree in the middle, lighting up the hall. It looked like the one he was using earlier as a bench, so they must have gotten it from the same forest. He can’t be too far from there, then. There were candles and flames everywhere, lighting up the hall brightly, but warmly.

He looked back at the girl and found her already staring at him. She startled, cheeks going pink again, and looked down at her food. He smirked a little, but hid it well. She was amusing.

“What is your name?” He asked.

“Sigrid,” she said softly.

“It sounds strong.”

“Yes. I am more drawn to medicine, so I suppose the name is ironic.”

Pero chuckled. “Hardly.”

Sigrid smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

A comfortable silence fell over the two of them again before Pero asked, “Who is Ingvar? He seems like a powerful man.”

“He is our Jarl. Our leader.”

“Is this like a king?” Pero furrowed his brows. He didn’t think this contract would be finished.

“Not exactly. But no less powerful.”

“I see,” Pero grunted. As if on cue, Ingvar stood from his seat at the head of the table, a large grin on his bearded face.

“Venner! Kvelden er ung, og festen er rik. Vær så snill, nyt, for mine gamle beindekk. Jeg ser dere alle i morgen tidlig.” Everyone raised their drinks and shouted… something, but Pero didn’t catch it. Sigrid leaned over and translated what Ingvar said for him. He nodded his thanks, but he was skeptical at best. Ingvar left through a door behind the throne that sat in the center of the hall. (Friends! The night is young, and the feast bountiful. Please, enjoy, for my old bones tire. I will see you all in the morning.)

“He cannot be that old, no?”

“He has been around much longer than I,” Sigrid shrugged. Pero laughed softly, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“You are a child, of course he has.”

Sigrid rolled her eyes, but didn’t deny it. “If seventeen winters makes me a child, then yes.”

Pero choked on his mead and hit his chest to keep from coughing too hard. “Yes, it does,” he wheezed, laughing quietly. Sigrid laughed, too, eating some bread and cheese. A small child ran up to Sigrid and asked her a question as he tugged on her dress. Sigrid looked back at Pero apologetically and he waved her off, eating some more meat.

This was hardly the setting he expected for himself when he took the contract, but he couldn’t deny it, it was a pleasant one. The food was good, and the people seemed friendly enough. He couldn’t help but be confused by the contract; who was dumb enough to put a hit out on a powerful leader like Ingvar?

Sigrid mentioned that some of them were warriors. That didn’t surprise him at all. Just by looking at the people around the table, men and women alike, he could’ve figured that out on his own.

He sighed to himself and chewed thoughtfully. Suddenly, he remembered the small stone that pierced his foot. He looked around at the people around him to be sure no one was watching before he felt around his pocket for the stone. When he didn’t feel anything, his body went taut and he froze. Shit. They probably found it when they grabbed his weapons. Where were his weapons?

Sigrid came up to his side with the small child from before holding her hand and looking at him from behind her. “Tovar?” She asked softly. He looked up at her, heavy brow still pulled down. She gave him a quick once-over before clearing her throat. “We have sleeping quarters for you, but Lord Ingvar wishes to speak with you first.”

Pero chuckled humorlessly around his food before putting it down on his plate. He grabbed the mead and took a drink, making a face at the taste. He wasn’t sure he’d get used to that anytime soon. “Of course he does,” he sighed. “You will translate for me?”

Sigrid nodded, braided blonde hair swinging with the movement, and looked like she was trying to steel herself. He admired her mettle.

Pero followed after her, keeping light pressure on his foot as they went through that door Ingvar went through before. It led down a short hallway and ended up in a large bedroom. Ingvar was sitting on the edge of the bed before standing tall and fixing Pero with a hard look. Pero grunted and rested a hand on his hip as he leaned on the uninjured foot, waiting to get this over with.

“Hva heter du?” Ingvar grunted. (What is your name?)

“He asked your name,” Sigrid said softly.

“Tovar,” Pero narrowed his eyes. 

“Hvorfor er du her?” (Why are you here?)

Sigrid translated quietly.

“Your people brought me here. I was wondering the same thing,” Pero shrugged with an attitude. Ingvar gave him a look, clearly unimpressed. Pero rolled his eyes.

Ingvar looked at Sigrid and she blushed, nodding. “He didn’t mean–”

“Yes, I know what he meant,” Pero sighed. “I had a contract. I came to fulfill that contract.”

Sigrid spoke quietly and Ingvar seemed tired as he nodded.

“Var navnet mitt på denne kontrakten?” Ingvar sighed. Pero gave Sigrid a look as she quickly translated. (Did this contract have my name on it?)

“It did…” Pero raised a brow, crossing his arms over his chest. Ingvar nodded again, but Pero spoke up before he could say anything. “I decided not to complete the contract when I saw your celebration and… status. I may be a mercenary, but I am no fool. I do not go after lords or kings.”

Ingvar raised a brow and chuckled quietly before letting out a loud, hearty laugh. “Jeg vet ikke om du er smart eller dum,” Ingvar smiled, cheeks flushed with mirth. “Jeg takker deg, men tilgi meg for at jeg ikke stoler på deg helt, Tovar.” (I do not know if you are smart or stupid. I thank you. But you will forgive me for not completely trusting you, Tovar.)

Pero nodded and shrugged. “I understand.”

Sigrid looked between the two of them, looking much less nervous. She quickly spoke to Ingvar quietly, asking him a question. Ingvar nodded, a small smile on his lips.

“Nyt festen, Tovar. Vi diskuterer hva vi skal gjøre med deg om morgenen.” (Enjoy the festivities, Tovar. We will discuss what to do with you in the morning.)

“I wish to leave,” Pero grunted, looking between Sigrid and the Jarl. Sigrid looked a little crestfallen, but took one more look at Ingvar before he waved them off. She pushed Pero out of the Jarl’s quarters and back out into the celebration. “Sigrid?” Pero asked, confused.

She sighed before looking up at him. “The Jarl wishes to keep you here until Jól ends. To keep an eye on you, make sure you keep your word.” She started wringing her hands together and bit her lip.

“How much longer is Yool?”

Sigrid went quiet.

“Sigrid.”

“Nine more days,” she sighed, looking down.

Pero’s eyes went wide before he shut them and sighed heavily. He looked up at the ceiling and mumbled, “Joder yo,” under his breath. (Fuck me.) “Fine. Nine more days and I will leave.”

Over the course of the first four days, Pero was treated like he belonged with these people. He still didn’t quite know where he was. If someone were to give him a map, he couldn’t tell them, but he knew he was probably at the top somewhere. He was shocked at how much he liked it there despite the bitter cold.

He felt eyes on him the whole time and he didn’t like the feeling, but he understood it. 

He taught Sigrid and some of the children some Spanish words and in turn he was taught some words in their tongue. Norse, he was told.

Pero also found himself helping the warriors Sigrid mentioned before, called Vikingr. Their job was to sail to faraway lands, raid strangers of their belongings, and bring it back home. He didn’t judge. He’d done worse, and frankly, it sounded like something right up his alley. He mostly helped with keeping their longships cleaned for their next raid when the snow thawed.

And he ate. He ate a lot. There was so much food at the feasts in the evenings. He tried to eat as much as he could in the hopes that it would carry him on his journey home. Wherever that was. Every feast started with a chant and “offerings” to their Gods. Some of these “offerings” came in the form of the mead Pero had - reluctantly - grown to like, and other times it came in the form of one of the farmer’s poor goats. 

While he didn’t understand a lot of these people’s customs, he couldn’t deny it, they were a hearty people. 

He’d also caught the eye of some of the women there, too, but he mostly ignored them. They were all too young for him, and he was too busy not getting killed. He still wasn’t given back his weapons. Or the strange stone. His wound would take a while to heal yet, but he could put pressure on it again.

On the fifth day, he was helping chop wood for people’s homes. During the feast, everyone in the village congregated in the Jarl’s home to be surrounded by the fire given by the Jól Log and enjoy the food, but they all needed wood for their own homes as well.

He stopped to take a break and wiped the sweat from his brow as a cool chill blew past him. Pero looked to his left, the feeling of someone looking at him catching his attention. When he saw it wasn’t one of Ingvar’s men, he startled a little. It was a woman. Older than the ones that mostly watched him, and far more… Interesting. To him, at least. He raised a brow as she turned and left, clutching her basket closer to her body. He’d seen her around during his time there and she seemed to keep mostly to herself. She was unattached from what he could tell, and wondered why. She was beautiful. 

Pero snapped himself out of it and shook his head, going back to chopping the wood.

On the sixth day, he saw her again. He’d asked Sigrid what her name was as he saw her making her way through the market, and she said it was Helga. 

Helga.

He liked the name.

Helga was a thread-weaver. She made blankets, scarves, anything to keep one warm and covered. Pero was given clothing that suited the temperature better, and he felt strange without his armor, but he was never given a scarf. He didn’t think he’d ever wanted one before now.

He asked Sigrid if she could ask Helga for him for a scarf, and the girl giggled, pushing him toward the woman. He sighed and walked over to her, looking at the weapons and tools surrounding them at the market. He tried not to make himself too obvious, and it mostly worked, he thought. He was genuinely impressed with the craftsmanship of the weapons.

Pero sidled up to Helga’s side, but before he could say anything, she stepped away from the stand and walked back to her house. He watched her go and frowned.

This was going to be tougher than he thought.

The seventh day was much like the day before, but instead of chopping wood, Pero was asked to help around the Jarl’s home. He noticed a lot of the young women that stared at him worked there, so he tried to keep mostly to himself. He’d never cleaned linens or blankets before, but found it to be quite relaxing. There was a rhythm to it, and he could do it without much help.

“Tovar,” a young voice asked from his left. He looked up, finishing the fold of the blanket he was holding. He grunted in acknowledgement. “Jeg og noen av kvinnene har lurt på noe,” the girl was blushing hard up to her ears and biting her lip. (Some of the women and I have been wondering something.)

Pero smirked a little and nodded for her to continue. He picked up on the gist of what she was saying, thanks to Sigrid’s teachings of Norse.

“Hvor fikk du arret fra?” she asked meekly. (Where did you get your scar?)

Pero’s face pinched slightly and he shook his head. “I do not wish to talk about it.” The girl’s eyes went wide and she started scrambling out apologies, her hand pressed to her chest. A sad smile crossed his features before he shook his head. “It is okay,” he said quietly.

The girl frowned, cheeks bright red, but nodded as she turned and left. Pero exhaled quietly and looked down at the linens he was folding. 

“I do not believe she meant any harm,” a low, feminine voice said to his left. He hummed in acknowledgement before he froze, realizing that she spoke perfect English. He turned his head and nearly jumped out of his boots when he saw Helga standing there. She smiled and started helping him with the linens. “Tovar, yes?”

Pero huffed a laugh and nodded. 

“I have noticed you watching me.” She had a soft smile on her lips, brown hair pulled away from her face in a braid. She turned to look at him, blue eyes full of heat as she looked over his face and chest. 

Pero blinked, eyes slightly wider. He went to speak, but all that came out was a croak, making him cough. “Apologies,” he wheezed, the side of his fist pressed to his chest. “I am sorry for staring,” he mumbled, turning back to his own linens as his cheeks flushed. “I am still getting used to the customs here. There are two days left of your celebration, and I will be gone.”

Helga hummed noncommittally and pushed her small stack of folded linens toward him to add to his pile. “That would be a shame.”

Pero furrowed his brows and added her stack to his. He looked at her incredulously, but her head was faced down as she continued folding. He didn’t say anything and continued as well, his thoughts running a mile a minute.

“I thought only Sigrid and a few of the children spoke English,” he said after a few moments of silence.

“They are not the only ones.”

Pero snorted and shook his head. “Clearly not,” he hummed to himself. He cleared his throat and glanced at her before continuing. “When I arrived at this place, I was in the forest. I am not sure how far it is from here, but I saw an old man,” he started, keeping his eyes downward. “I was hoping I would see him here in the village, but I have not.”

Helga hummed a noise for him to continue. 

“He wore a cloak, the hood covering his head. He sat in front of my campfire, but I only saw one of his eyes,” Pero’s brows furrowed further, confusion filling his head. “I am not sure if he was missing one or if it was covered.”

Helga stopped folding and looked at him, a small smirk on her lips. “Did he have a long beard?”

Pero looked up and blinked. “Y-yes. You have seen this man?”

“Once or twice,” she said. “He is a wanderer. He does not stay in one place for very long.”

“Who is he?”

Helga bit her lip and shrugged. “He has many names. We cannot be certain which he likes best.”

Pero sighed in frustration. “Why was he at my camp?”

Helga smirked again and finished folding her linens. “Perhaps he was looking out for you,” she shrugged again, leaning over to pick up her basket of fabrics. “Enjoy the feast tonight.” She grinned and left the Jarl’s home, leaving Pero quiet and watching her retreating form.

Pero exhaled and looked up at the ceiling, shaking his head. When he looked down, there was a scarf folded on top of her pile of linens. 

“Du får tingene dine i morgen, etter den siste festen,” Ingvar grumbled. (You will receive your belongings after tomorrow’s final feast.)

“Must I stay the whole time? I wish to return home,” Pero growled, crossing his arms over his chest. Not that he had a home to return to.

Ingvar rolled his eyes and waved him off. Sigrid grabbed his elbow and pulled him out of the Jarl’s bedroom. Pero grumbled obscenities in Spanish to himself until he was sat at a table in the hall. It was the eighth night, and he was getting tired of being watched constantly. He had no intention of hurting anyone here. He might if they didn’t give him his things, though. The people around him continued to have the same energy this night that they always seemed to. He supposed that came from actually understanding what you were celebrating, and not having to worry about death or arrest at every corner.

“You leave tomorrow evening, yes?”

Pero startled and looked to his right. Helga sat next to him, a plate of food in front of her. She smiled warmly at him and he softened. “How do you do that?” He huffed a laugh and shook his head before grabbing a piece of meat and eating it.

“You do not pay attention,” she said simply.

He squinted his eyes at her and grumbled around his food that he did too pay attention, thank you very much. She laughed softly and it made him bite his tongue. She had been nothing but kind to him while he was there and she didn’t deserve the frustration he felt to be forced on her.

“Where do you live?” Helga asked softly. “Where will you go?”

Pero bit his lip as he tore a piece of bread in two. “Nowhere. I am a mercenary. I go where the work is,” he shrugged, shoving the bread in his mouth. 

“You enjoy this?”

Pero raised a brow as he chewed. 

“You like not having anywhere to call home? You do not have to leave,” she hummed around her own food, taking a drink of some mead.

“What do you mean? Of course I do,” he scoffed. “Ingvar wants me dead. His men are constantly watching me.”

Helga rolled her eyes. “You really do not pay attention,” she sighed, setting down her cup and turning to face him. “You have not heard how people talk about you?”

“I am still learning the language,” he frowned, chewing messily and lips greasy.

“Why are you learning the language if you want to leave?”

Pero blinked and looked down at his plate. He frowned, thinking about it. Why was he learning the language? 

“Because you like it here, Tovar,” she said softly. “We like you.” It went unsaid, but he got the feeling that she liked him, too.

“Pero.”

“What?”

“My name is Pero.”

Helga smiled, pink dusting her cheeks. “I do not think you will have many people protesting if you stay. The children love you. And I think you would make an excellent Viking.”

Pero raised a brow and exhaled, thinking about it. Having a place to call his own would be nice. And he was familiar with the kind of work the warriors did, from what he’d heard. 

“You do not have long to think about it, Pero,” Helga hummed. She picked up her plate and stood before leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. “I would like it if you stayed,” she whispered into his ear. He looked up at her with soft eyes and she smiled down at him with her hand on his shoulder before turning and leaving.

Pero shut his eyes and exhaled once again, then looked in the direction of the Jarl’s personal quarters. 

Would it be such a terrible thing to stay?

On the ninth day, Pero woke with a startle. He thought he’d heard a whisper next to his ear again. He’d been mostly dreamless while he was in the village. Last night, after his talk with Helga, he dreamt about the old man and the wolf in the woods. He didn’t understand any of it, and he barely remembered what the dream actually entailed, but he remembered the feeling. He felt… odd. Not bad or wrong. Just… different. Comforting. 

As he got dressed in the clothes that were given to him, he looked over at the scarf Helga gave him. It was a brown color and the material was rough, but also thick and soft. It kept his ears warm. He wrapped it around his neck before slipping his feet into his boots, making sure to be careful of his injured one. He made his way over to the Jarl’s quarters and knocked on the door.

“Er du sikker?” (Are you sure?)

Pero nodded, arms crossed over his chest. “Yes.”

Ingvar sighed and crossed his arms, too. “Du forvirrer meg, Tovar. Men hvis dette virkelig er det du vil, tror jeg ikke at jeg ser noe problem med det.” He shrugged and looked at Sigrid’s smiling face. “Gå og hent tingene hans.” (You confuse me, Tovar. But if this is truly what you want, I don’t suppose I see a problem with it. Go get his things.)

Sigrid nodded happily and ran from the room. Pero and Ingvar awkwardly avoided eye contact. Even if neither of them were enemies, the circumstances of their acquaintanceship were less than ideal. When Sigrid returned, she was carrying Pero’s weapons in both arms and looked to be struggling to do so.

Pero furrowed his brows and gently took the weapons from her. She sighed in relief, but smiled shyly up at him. “I am happy you decided to stay,” she giggled.

Pero smiled down at her, then gave a grateful nod to Ingvar before leaving the room. Sigrid walked next to him while he attached his sword and hunting knife to his belt. He carried the armor under his left arm. “Me too,” he grunted awkwardly. “I am unsure how I will fit in, but…” He shrugged, scratching the back of his neck.

“I think you will be fine,” she nodded, sure of herself. One of the small children, a younger brother of hers he found out, came up to her and tugged on her dress. He mumbled something Pero didn’t quite catch. Sigrid tapped on his shoulder to get Pero’s attention, making him look down at the two of them, dark eyes intimidating, but soft. “She lives at the end of the village,” Sigrid winked, then took off with her younger brother.

Pero’s cheeks flushed, but he chuckled to himself. He made his way through the village, waving or nodding to people as he saw them. It was strange, being accepted as he was. He wasn’t the only gruff and hardened warrior here, and no one seemed scared of him for his scars or his accent. The feeling was so foreign to him.

As he walked up a small hill toward the end of the village, he heard a quiet thud against the grass. He looked down and saw the strange stone from the forest laying there. Right, he’d completely forgotten. It must’ve fallen from his belongings. He picked it up and looked at it, thumbs running over the strange markings. It was almost shaped like a fork, but with three prongs. Maybe Helga would know what it meant.

When he made his way in front of the door of the last house in the village, he hesitated before knocking. The sun was slowly setting and it was getting a tad colder, so he eventually knocked. 

“Et øyeblikk!” (One moment!)

Pero smiled to himself as he heard her voice behind the door. Once the door opened, he raised his head and smiled sheepishly, the shape on his face still foreign to him.

Helga’s face softened as she saw him and rested a hand on her hip. “Well, come on in, then,” she grinned, opening the door wider for him. He nodded gratefully and stepped inside her home, the smells of burnt leaves and the feeling of a warm fire engulfing his body. 

“I will find my own home, you need not keep me here if–”

“Hush,” she chuckled softly, taking his armor from his arms and putting it in her bedroom for cleaning later. “You are more than welcome to stay here,” she looked up at him with a bit of shyness. The first time she’d ever looked at him like that. “If you want to, that is.”

Pero took two steps closer to her until his face was mere inches from her own. “I want nothing more,” he said softly, rubbing the knuckle of his index finger against her cheek. She shut her eyes and exhaled softly, nodding. 

“I was just getting ready to go to the feast,” Helga smiled, looking up at him. “Would you like to join me?”

Pero’s lips quirked up into a soft smile of his own before he remembered the stone he was holding. “Yes, but first,” his brows furrowed in thought. “It is silly, but… I found this strange stone while I was in the forest.”

Helga hummed and tilted her head to the side, letting him continue.

“It has a marking I have never seen before. Do you know what it means?” He asked, showing her the stone lying in the palm of his hand. She picked it up and rubbed her thumb over the marking like he had before.

“Where did you find this?” Helga asked, face pinched in confusion.

“In the forest. There was a small clearing with a bloodstained stone, and–”

“The ritual site,” she smiled up at him, clutching the stone in her hand. “We sacrificed one of the cows on the first day of Jól there.”

Pero blinked down at her, hands holding her arms and rubbing softly. “I see…”

Helga laughed softly. “You’ll get used to it,” she winked. “This is one of the runes. It seems we forgot one.”

“What does it mean?” He hummed, cupping her face in his large hand. He rubbed his thumb against her cheek.

“Protection,” she said softly. She looked at his lips, then looked back up at his eyes. He did the same and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. They stayed there for a few moments before he released her and pressed his forehead against hers. 

“Surely the feast can wait a few moments,” he growled into her neck, kissing against the soft skin there. Helga bit her lip and smiled, fingers tangling into the thick curls at the back of his head.

“It can,” she gasped, startled by the small nip he left against her shoulder. Pero slowly walked them toward her bedroom and laid her on top of the bed. The curtains in front of the window were drawn. Something caught his eye in the window and he looked out, hovering over Helga’s body. 

In the distance, on top of a hill, was a large black wolf. It seemed to make eye contact with him before it turned and left.

A chill ran down Pero’s spine.

a/n: if you're at all curious, here's a decent idea of what i imagined the stone to look like 🥰