#the second one is a full AU where Tony is trying (and failing) to hide that he is a werewolf from his bf

[minhyongi]

I want to write a frostiron one shot for Halloween but I don't know which idea to follow through on soooo you decide! :D

[pepperonyspizza]

soulmate au where you touch your soulmate for the first time it leaves a handprint that's how you know they are your soulmate

well, this went kinda out of hand and ended up way longer than I wanted it to be lmao also this didn’t give me any specific ship so I went with pepperony :) I hope that’s what you wanted! ~*~ There is this rule that Tony has: Do not touch Pepper. Ever.  He’s not sure how it started but something about their ‘professional’ relationship has put that barrier over the years - but that doesn’t stop Tony from testing just how solid said wall is every now and then. The media isn’t calling him a sleazy asshole for nothing and it’s not like he’s being too obnoxious about it. 

A nudge of his shoulder against hers, his hand a fleeting pressure on the small of her back, always with a securing layer of clothing between them. That’s it. Nothing more. 

Tony tells himself that he doesn’t push it any further because, deep down, there is something that resembles a gentleman, not because he’s scared to drive them to a point from which there is no going back. 

But that fear (not that it’s actually that) isn’t enough to keep Tony from wishing that things could be different, especially during a moment like this one when Pepper is tearing into him about yet another board meeting he’s missed and he wants nothing more than to shut her up. 

It would be so easy. Tony can imagine it in his head perfectly. He would reach for her, wrap his fingers around her slender wrist and she would stop talking in an instant to stare at him in shock.  

More would happen after that, at least according to his fantasy. They’d kiss and stumble out of the messy workshop to continue what they had started upstairs in his bedroom. His real bedroom, the one only he gets to see. Well, and Pepper of course when she interrupts his peaceful sleep with her nagging—

“Tony!”

He blinks out of his daydream, realizing that he’s been staring at a bland wall for the last minute. The woman he’s been ignoring is looking everything but amused and not even the charming grin he shoots her way can calm her down.

“Yes, dear?” 

“Have you listened to anything I just said?” 

“...something about a board meeting that is scheduled for today?” 

“Was,” Pepper corrects, sighing deeply. “It was scheduled for today, Tony. 3 hours ago. I told you about it this morning.”

“Oops.”

“Oops?!” He gets up from his chair but she’s close on his heels even as he moves further into the large space of his workshop. “That’s all you have to say after I spent the past thirty minutes cleaning up your mess?” 

It must have been something important for Pepper to be this angry at him. He must have missed at least four other meetings this week alone and she’s barely done so much as lecture him about those. 

Tony whirls around with his hands up, “Woah, easy now. It’s not that big of a deal, right?” His grin is all teeth as Pepper’s nostrils flare. “Okay, that was the wrong thing to say. Let me try again. I’m really sorry. I forgot.” 

She crosses her arms and huffs but she isn’t yelling anymore. 

“Let me make it up to you,” he continues with a smile, “How about dinner? Just the two of us and some fancy food.” 

And just like that, he’s back to square one The fire in Pepper’s eyes is back, brighter and more deadly than before. Tony can’t believe that he’s said the wrong thing again. 

“Dinner? Are you serious?” She throws her arms up, looking both annoyed and exhausted, which makes Tony feel like he’s getting scolded by a teacher. “Thanks to your little stunt, I’ll most likely be dealing with this all night. I won’t have time to indulge any of your antics.” 

“Pep.”

“If you are so desperate for a nice dinner, how about you show up for the one you have scheduled for tomorrow evening?” 

“Pepper.” 

“Because, and I swear to god, Tony, if you miss anything else this week, I’ll—”

“Potts!” 

Tony barks at least, too tired to continue this argument any longer. He absentmindedly reaches for her, settling one of his hands on her forearm before he can think twice about it. 

It takes less than a heartbeat for Pepper to react. She goes silent, not because he told her to but because he’s literally holding onto her, which has never happened before. 

Her skin is all smooth and soft, such a strong contrast to his own. Tony wants to slap himself for only finding out now when he could have been touching her for all those years. 

But then Pepper’s eyes go wide and she jerks back like he’s burnt her. Tony lets go without comment, although the five steps she takes back aren’t necessary. He won’t jump her. They are friends, aren’t they? Friends touch each other casually. 

“Come on, Pep. I promise that I’m not infectious.” He does his best to grin as he shows her the palms of his rough hands. “And no oil or grease stains either. See?”

She doesn’t look down. In fact, it doesn’t seem like she’s looking at him at all but rather straight through him. Tony frowns, a little concerned and very much confused. His gaze drops down to where Pepper is clutching her arm and his eyebrows almost shoot into his hairline when he sees what her small hands are trying to cover up. 

Tony takes a step towards her, waiting for her to take one back and keep them apart. She doesn’t. Pepper only snaps out of her frozen like state when he’s already close enough to pull her arm out of the way. 

There, covering a good part of her forearm is a crimson handprint. Not any handprint but Tony’s. He puts his hand right on top of it to check, to make sure that it hasn’t been there before even though he already knows so. 

His hand fits perfectly on top of it. His eyes snap back up to Pepper’s face when she fails to respond to… well, anything. Frankly, the woman looks like she’s seen a ghost. Any other time, Tony would have been insulted but given the current circumstances, he kind of understands. 

“Are you going to say something?” “Mr. Stark, I—” 

Mr. Stark. She’s just found out that he’s her soulmate and she’s trying to go with formal titles? Hell no. That’s not how they are going to play. 

Tony cuts her off for the second time that day but instead of snapping, he kisses her. It’s not his proudest moment and he’ll blame his poor impulse control for it later. Pepper lets out a surprised squeak that’s muffled by his mouth pressing against hers but otherwise makes no move to stop him. 

It will happen eventually, Tony is absolutely sure of it - but until that happens, he’s going to take full advantage of her hesitation. Kissing Pepper has been his number one fantasy for so long and now that the knowledge of him being her soulmate hangs above them, the fire inside him has only grown hotter. 

Her hand comes in contact with his body just like he’s expected but not to push him away but to fist her hand into the fabric of his tank top and pull him closer. Tony realizes with a start that he’s kissing back. 

Pepper is kissing him. With quite a lot of enthusiasm, he might add. 

Tony doesn’t know how long the kiss lasts or at what point Pepper’s free hand has moved to his neck. He does notice the sudden and unnatural warmth that spreads over his skin where she’s touching him. It’s much warmer than the heat radiating from her hand should be, so much that he breaks the kiss with a startled yelp. 

The woman in front of him pulls her hand away quickly as her eyes snap open. If Tony wasn’t so scared about what the hell was going on, he would have been smug about the dazed look on Pepper’s face and the state of her lips. She opens her mouth to say something but then her gaze drops down to his neck. Whatever she sees there is enough to keep her quiet. 

“What?! What is it? What is happening?” Pepper only stares. “Potts!” 

“I am sorry,” she says, already in the process of reaching out again before she thinks better of it and drops her arm back down to her side. “I am so sorry, Tony. I didn’t think about...”

She trails off and Tony panics. What the hell has she done to him? His skin is no longer burning but the part she’s touched is still warm. It’s a calming heat but with how nervous Pepper looks, even that is not enough to keep him from freaking out. 

He dashes across the workshop and towards the full-length mirror in one of the corners, expecting the worst. The handprint he finds on his neck is completely logical and yet baffles him. He’d been so distracted by the mark he’s left on her that he’d forgotten about this part. 

Not only is he her soulmate but she’s his soulmate as well. 

Tony turns around, the biggest grin plastered across his face as he watches Pepper approach him, “Potts.”

“This is a disaster!” His heart drops. Isn’t she happy about this? It’s everyone’s dream to find their soulmate… or maybe it’s not that she’s finally found hers but rather who it has turned out to be. 

“There is no way we can cover that up unless you’re wearing a turtleneck to every single one of your meetings from now on.” 

He frowns. “What?” “This will be a P.R nightmare.” 

“Are you seriously thinking about the stupid company right now?” Tony asks with annoyance and the slightest bit of hurt in his voice. “We’re soulmates, Pepper. You kissed me!”

“Actually, you kissed me.” “And you kissed back!” He points at the handprint on his neck and yeah, its location will make it impossible to hide. Not that Tony minds that. “Look how you claimed me. Everyone will see this and know that you did it.” The speed at which she turns red has to be some sort of record.

“I didn’t mean to! Besides, no one will know that it’s my hand.”

“Nope, at least not until I tell them. And I will.” 

“Tony!”

“I’ll tell everyone, Potts. And you better tell any schmuck that tries to flirt with you that you already found your soulmate.” She’s quiet as she observes him. Tony doubts that she’s aware of the fact that she’s biting her lip but that doesn’t stop his lizard brain from wanting to kiss her again. The mark on his neck tingles, sending a shiver down his spine. 

“We have to talk about this. We can’t just… this will get complicated.” 

“We’ll figure it out,” Tony promises as he settles his hands on her hips. “I’m a genius. You’re smart. We got this.” He leans forward, his breath ghosting over her face. “We’ll have all the time in the world to talk. Later.” 

Before Pepper has the chance to object, he kisses her. This time, it takes not nearly as long before she’s returning the kiss, both her hands buried in his hair. It feels amazing. Like it is destined to be. 

In some way, Tony thinks that it is. 

[statticscribbles]

Settle

Summary: Marvel; Daemon Au! The Black Widow doesn’t have a daemon

Natasha isn’t entirely sure why she’s letting the team play such an involved guessing game about her daemon. Clint and Angelica had already clued the team in that not even they know the gender; let alone a name; or rarer still what form the daemon takes. Everyone concludes that it is something small and hidden they joke about it being a spider as does everyone. It’s when Tony gets shot twice; when Natasha leads them down a hidden path to a barely standing house, when she fixes him on a table and the team rest waiting to be picked up; this is when she gives in slightly.

“Widow’s daemons don’t keep a form. A Widow must always change; they stretched our tethers until they almost snapped; kept us un able to settle. Or they force settlings to what they want.” Nobody says anything to ask her continue; it’s not until they make it back to the base; until they’re all safe, Toni resting on the massive couch everyone not admitting they’re not willing to leave him. She starts when the news dies down; no one comments about how scared she sounds, about how scared she must have been.

“It’ was a game at first; change into as many forms as you can; never settle longer than five minutes. Then it was training, you must be able to shift between seconds, between heartbeats; it is what will keep you safe. It was torture after that; do not settle into something obvious, keep your soul hidden keep your soul safe. Early settling was discouraged unless it was a hide able creature. Also hurt the daemon; never the person. You hurt the daemon, you hurt the soul you control them.” She hums and Tony grimaces Lila moving closer to curl over his chest. Natasha knows during his torture that even the threat of her being touched, being manipulated was enough to make him bow. “I can remember the other girls trying to get their daemons to settle smaller or to not settle in a form at all.” She shivers.

“We killed them for practice; we had to get used to touching other daemons.” “And yours?” Its Bruce who asks this Samantha curled around his neck as she always is. “I hope you never meet her.” Natasha grins the relief the team display at being given a hint of her daemon; same gendered daemons weren’t uncommon or as strange as many believed; the thought of never knowing Natasha’ of it being better to never see her soul was almost sicking.

Steve arranges the meeting; he calls Phil and Maria in, even Nick is there in hopes that Natasha will give in; will be more comfortable. Phil doesn’t comment and Judy sits looking pleadingly at Natasha. “I’m not; it is best if you never meet.” She speaks to both Judy and Phil. “We have to; it’s a security issue.” Phil starts looking strained as Natasha’s already shutting down.

Its two weeks after the failed meeting when Clint brings them to the farm; when they’re relaxing enjoying a full breakfast spread Steve devouring the seemingly never ending blueberry pancakes. “Clint.” Laura calls out and Clint sighs, bow in hand as the figure comes in holding Laura by the throat. “Let my sister go.” The man’s raven demon flutters over their heads. “You heard him.” The voice is soft and unknown; the mans daemon flutters towards the sound both the daemon and man screaming as a woman steps out, hand curled around the raven’s throat.

“Does not feel good does it? Pain is so easy to give.” The woman’s blonde hair falls in her face and she brushes it back squeezing her other hand tighter. “You will leave yes?” “Yes! Yes please don’t hurt Vanya anymore. Please.” “Will you stay away? Tell everyone to not come here.” “Yes! Yes I swear!” The woman smiles, before her fist tightens one last time the Raven crumbling into dust. “Good.” Nobody says anything and Laura moves to hug her in relief but Natasha pulls her into her arms before she can move to the blonde woman.

“Come we’re having breakfast.” The woman nods following Natasha and Laura, the rest of the team tense and ready to fight. Bruce offers the woman toast and she shakes her head. “I ate already.” “Take the toast Lena.” “You take it.” “I already ate.” “Maybe your daemon should have been a parrot.” Natasha smiles at the snark and the team watch as Lena leans over pulling pancakes towards the plate that had been given to her. “Since you won’t.” She laughs at Natasha who pulls the fruit bowl over. “This is Yelena; she’s another Widow. She came after me.” Natasha’s voice is soft and Yelena smiles at her like they’re sharing some sort of memory. “Your daemon? Do you know Natasha’s?” Tony asks eagerly. And Yelena grins at him watching Natasha as she speaks.

“I know of her daemon, she is very sweet. Just as deadly though.” “What is she?” “Has she not told you?” Yelena turns confused and Natasha scowls. “So you haven’t; you must care greatly for them Natkya to not burden them with the truth.” “It is to protect them Russkaya, nothing you need to involve them in.” “They care for you; otherwise they would not leave your soul alone. They would have found where she is hiding.” She hums and Natasha arches an eyebrow. “The pancakes are wonderful, try them.” She smiles and they watch as she moves half of it around on the plate before Natasha sighs pulling it onto hers. “You can eat you know. It’s awareness.” “I do not like to feel as you do.” “Lena.” Natasha’s voice is soft but Yelena accompanies them to the jet sitting at the edge of her seat barely touching Natasha and barely looking at the rest of the team.

“So do we have another black widow on the team now? Do we need to call Phil? What about nick? Or Maria? Does SHIELD need to know?” “No. SHIELD does not need to know.” Yelena snaps at him and Natasha freezes. “Lena.” “They do not need to know.” She repeats and Natasha tenses as Tony moves forward. “Tony; don’t, just;” Yelena grins at Natasha’s faint stutter.

“Wow you must care for your new family so much. Do they know of your nightmares Natkya?” Natasha shrinks slightly and everyone watches as Yelena’s grin darkens. “Oh you have not told them what became of your пыль?” Natasha shakes her head and everyone watches as she sighs.

“Sit. There’s more to the story. Our graduation ceremony; part of it involved cutting the tether; so it forced settling. I remember the girls screaming when they went into the room with the big knives, the blades they used to cut us apart from out souls.” Steve shifts uncomfortably as does Clint. “My Daemon, she had not settled; we were so good together; the best. The best the Red Room had seen. We would do great things they had said; at graduation they allowed me a treat; to choose how my daemon settled; anything I wished they would let me pick.” Everyone swallows at once. Natasha shakes her head.

“All I wanted was for them never to touch me again; never to hurt my soul.” She snarls and everyone stills. “I screamed when she settled, when she changed and warped her form over and over listening to what I had said, the only instruction I had given her; like all the other girls had screamed ‘change so they don’t hurt you.’ I was different; I was so much better than the other girls. I knew what I had to make my soul do; how I had to be better than the others. The Black Widow doesn’t have a soul. I had to make that true. “Change so they can’t hurt you.” I told her; I told her over and over even as they cut our bond as I felt it splitting and out connection growing weaker. Change so they can never hurt you.” Natasha breathes out her body shaking slightly Clint moves to touch her but Yelena beats him to it her fingers smoothing the shaking from Natasha’s shoulders.

“They never hurt the girls; only the souls. Change so they cannot hurt you.” Yelena echoes and the team can tell it is something she’s spoke to herself countless times.

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[steves-on-a-plane]

The Way You Look At Me

Words: 1115 Pairing: Bruce Banner x Reader  Prompt: “You’re my best friend and you’re rambling on again about the thing I couldn’t care less about but I’ll always listen because you love it so much AU” -@dailyau​ Summary: Reader has been dating Bruce Banner for years. They’re enjoying some pizza together one night and she is listening to Bruce talk about his work. Bruce realizes that it’s finally time for him to ask Reader a question that’s been on his mind for the past three years.

“So, then Tony is like it’s only going to take three days. Three days! Keep in mind the last time we tried this it took us a week and we still failed.” You were in your apartment with your boyfriend, Bruce Banner.

The two of you were sitting together at your tiny dining table, a pizza box was taking up most of the surface. You sat with one leg tucked up under you and both your elbows on the table. You nibbled away at a piece of pizza as you listened to Bruce ramble on about his work. Bruce had only taken a few measly bites of a single pizza slice before he started talking about his most recent project with Tony Stark.

“You’re not listening to a word I’m saying, are you?”  He chuckled and offered you a dreamy smile.

“Yes! Yes I am!”  You assured him. You reached across the pizza box and held his hand. “Honey, I could listen to you talk about Tony Stark, and Artificial Intelligence and microwaves forever.”

“Okay, now you’re making fun of me.” He nodded, reaching for a new slice of pizza. “It’s cute.”

“I’m serious!” You insisted. “I love it when you talk about work. The way your eyes glaze over and how you seem to go into a whole other dimension when you start talking about science. You go on with such passion and it’s inspiring, it really is.”

“I don’t!” He sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry!” You gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, before releasing it and leaning back in your chair. “It’s like…what’s that British show you’re always trying to get me to watch?” You snapped your fingers as if that would bring the show title to mind.

“Which one?” Bruce smirked in between bites of pizza.

“Not the Sherlock Holmes one with Bilbo Baggins the other one with the phone box.” You huffed in frustration.

“Martin Freeman was on Sherlock before he was in the Hobbit.” Bruce pointed out. “You’re thinking of Dr. Who.”

“Yes!” You clapped your hands together excitedly. You pointed a finger at him, trying to accentuate your point. “You’re Doctor Who!”

“He’s called The Doctor not Doctor Who.” Bruce mumbled, taking another bite out of his pizza.

“Oh whatever.” You rolled your eyes. “You know how The Doctor takes people through time and space and he’s always rambling on about stuff but his companions just think the world of him even though they don’t understand a word of what he’s saying? It’s like that. I could listen to you talk about things I’ll never understand for the rest of my life.”

“Really?” Bruce put down his half-eaten piece of pizza and brushed his hands off on his pants. “You know, if you would have told me when I was a kid that my interest in science would eventually lead me to become The Doctor in my girlfriend’s eyes, I would have been thrilled. But this reminds me, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Bruce got up from the table and disappeared into the bedroom. You heard him open and close several drawers in the rickety old dresser where he kept his clothes at your place. He stumbled back in, nearly tripping on the cat on his way by. Bruce was carrying a pair of his old wool socks.

“You know how I keep these socks in here, and I told you it was in case we went hiking?” He asked holding the socks out to you.

“Yes,” You nodded, inspecting the socks from a distance before looking back up at his face. “I specifically remember because at the time I told you we’ll never go hiking and you know what?” You glanced down at your smart watch for dramatic effect. “It’s been three years and we haven’t gone hiking once.”

“Well, I supposed it’s time I come clean about this.” Bruce laughed. “I don’t keep these here in case we go hiking. Of course we’re not going to go hiking. You don’t want to go anywhere that’s full of bugs and has no caffeine. I know you better than that.” Bruce started to unroll one sock away from the other. “I’ve actually been hiding something in these socks for the past three years. It was a gift from Tony, kind of. You remember the first time you met him?”

“Yeah.” You laughed. “What a pain in the ass. He asked me all kinds of questions about how long we’d been together and if I knew about the other guy and…other inappropriate questions that I’m not going to repeat.” You could feel blood rush to your cheeks as you thought back on your first ever interaction with Tony Stark.

“Well, a few days after that,” Bruce shook his head. It was obvious that he also remembered your first Stark encounter. “He just drops something at my workstation. Told me it was his grandmother’s and she never liked green, so she never wore it. He told me that you must like green though since you were dating me.” Bruce rolled his eyes.

From the second sock he pulled out a small green velvet covered ring box. Your lungs felt like they’d stopped functioning.  Your heart hammered powerfully in your chest. Sure, you’d been together a long time now, and you always assumed that eventually he’d propose to you, but you hadn’t expected him to do it in a Thursday night over cold pizza in his boxers. Hadn’t he just been rambling about his work a few minutes ago?

“And then he told me if I didn’t marry you, I was a big green idiot.” Bruce continued. He began lowering himself to the ground slowly. He wobbled slightly as he came to rest most of his body weight on one knee. “And you know, for once, I think Tony was right. [Y/N], you were the first person to see me for who I was and not just the monster inside of me. You’re the first person to look at me, Bruce Banner, and see…I don’t know what honestly. But no matter where we are if we’re out to dinner or at one of my work functions or hanging out with your friends, I just take one look at you and I know. I know that you’re the most important person to ever come into my life. You’re loyal and creative and when you love a person, you just do it full out. I’ve been lucky enough to be loved by you for the past five years, and I’m hoping you’re will to continue loving me for the rest of my life. [Y/N] [Y/L/N], will you marry me?”

[a-n-conrad]

Flower Drawings (Steve Rogers x Reader)

[Summary: Soulmate au, everything you draw on your skin shows up on your soulmate, too. Your soulmate is feeling especially artistic right before you have to go to a formal event, hosted by your good friend, and professional nosy bastard, Tony Stark.]

It really wasn’t a big deal. I mean, you got drawings from your soulmate all the time. They were all very gorgeous, detailed drawings, and it really wasn’t odd for people to be walking around covered in drawings or notes. Anyone who hadn’t met their soulmate yet was still trying to find them, so they’d constantly be trying to communicate in ways that didn’t seem awkward or forced, and people who have already met their soulmate often leave them little notes or doodles. 

So, obviously, having some drawings from your soulmate shouldn’t be a problem. That is if you weren’t friends with the number one tactless billionaire on the planet. There was no way that Tony Stark would see the half sleeve of intricate flower drawings, spanning all the way from your elbow to your wrist, and not insist on finding out everything he could about your soulmate, whether that meant getting the rest of the avengers involved or not. See, Tony insisted he was a matchmaker, and if he could find even the slightest hint of who your soulmate could be, he’d pounce on that situation before you could even attempt to distract him, because he wanted to be the one to introduce you to your soulmate.

That’s why when you first started getting drawings from your soulmate a few years ago, you did your best to hide them from Tony. It wasn’t hard, he was always busy with work, or with Pepper after they finally figured out that they were soulmates. And of course, that was also around the time that he got swept up with the Avengers, so he wasn’t around as much as he was before, and when he was it was usually pretty easy to wear something that would cover up any of the drawings, hoodies, flannels, and long-sleeved button-ups became a signature style of yours.

Of course, that was until tonight. Tony was hosting a charity ball and he had insisted that you come. Which was why Happy was at your door, begging you to come along, so he wouldn’t have to listen to his boss try to figure out what kind of odd situation was keeping one of his best friends from hanging out with him.

“I don’t know what to tell you, (y/n), he told me I’m not allowed back in the tower until you promise to come to the party tonight,” Happy explained, crossing his arms. You’re honestly not sure if that’s actually something Tony said or if Happy is just sick of dealing with your stubborn refusals. 

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to head home, then. You’ve been meaning to take a day off, haven’t you?”

He made a face at you that you were honestly only used to seeing directed at Tony, “I swear, you’re almost as stubborn as him.”

You gasped dramatically, placing your hand over your heart in fake hurt. It was the sort of dorky theatrics you pick up after being friends with Tony Stark for as long as you have.

“Seriously,” He continued, not buying any of your earlier excuses “Why won’t you go?”

“Happy, come on, do you really think it makes any sense for me to be there? With the Avengers?”

“You’d fit in better than some of our other guests. Thor’s bringing his brother, and he tried to take over the world. Besides, you’ve gone to their movie nights before, they like you. ”

“Yeah, but Loki’s still got powers. He’s just far more interesting than me. And they get along with me. They don’t like me. I’m probably at the same rank as the girl that does coffee runs for Tony to them.”

“Pepper’s going to be there.”

“She’s Tony’s soulmate, and she’ll be far too busy with networking to spend time talking to me.”

“And you’re Tony’s friend. He wants you there.”

“Fuck,” you muttered, starting to feel a bit guilty about putting off spending time with Tony over your anxiety. You already didn’t get to see him as much as you used to without you selfishly trying to worm your way out of any event he’d be at, “Fine.”

“Wait, really? I had like another half hour of arguments.”

“Yeah, as long as I can find something fitting to wear. You know I don’t have a ton of nice clothes.”

“He knew you’d be worried about that.”

“Oh god, please tell me he didn’t buy me something stupidly expensive just for this.”

“You know he did.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Staring in the mirror wasn’t helping. You knew that someday you’d have to deal with your friend’s dramatic, drunk attempts at helping you find your soulmate, but you still weren’t sure that you were ready for that tonight. What would everyone else think of the host of the party loudly drawing the attention of the party to your soulmate markings? What would the Avengers think? They probably already think that you’re just an awkward nerd, who helps Tony with his tech on occasion.

Of course, the (f/c) dress that Tony had Happy bring you was beautiful, it had a gorgeous flowing skirt, and honestly seemed like it was designed to be exactly the dress of your dreams except for one thing. You couldn’t help but resent the dress’s lack of long sleeves. You had been stood in front of your mirror for almost twenty minutes after fixing up your hair and doing your makeup, just trying to figure out if there was any way for you to cover up your arms that wouldn’t look awkward, and after running through every option of jacket you had, you figured out that the answer was a firm no. You’d just have to go as you were and you were spending all of the extra time until Happy picked you up trying to give yourself a pep talk.

As if on cue, you hear a knock on the door to your apartment. With a resigned sigh, you made your way out to the living room. You paused at the door to give yourself another second, before opening the door to greet Happy.

“I do have to admit that Tony has pretty good taste in fashion. You look great, (y/n).”

You sigh and cross your arms uncomfortably in front of you, “Thanks, Happy.”

His eyes quickly dart to your arms, obviously drawn to the bright colors of the different flowers drawn across your skin, before a look of understanding slowly makes its way onto his face.

“That’s why you didn’t want to go, huh? You’re really that worried about him getting nosy?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Happy.”

He rolls his eyes and nods, “Sure.”

It doesn’t take long before you make your way to the party, and it takes an even shorter amount of time to get in past the guards checking for invitations, despite the line about a block and a half down. They learned to recognize you a while ago, and always let you skip the line, whether you want to or not.

The room was already pretty full, not by the standards of a Stark party, but by your standards. Part of you was telling you to turn on heel and run, but you knew there was no way Happy would let that happen as he started guiding you through the crowd over to an even thicker crowd of people near the bar.

“Alright, Tony, here’s your delivery,” He said, as he pulled you into the center of the crowd, people moving out of the way once they realised what he was there for.

“(n/n)! I’m so glad you decided to come,” the familiar voice is already dripping with a slight amount of intoxication, which makes you immediately hide your arms behind your back.

“Decided is an interesting choice of words for that, Anthony, but sure. I guess I’m happy to be here.”

He rolled his eyes a little at your sarcasm, but still shot you a lopsided grin, before looking you up and down, “I honestly have to say I’m impressed. I did pick out a very nice dress for you, didn’t I?”

“It is very nice. I’m just curious how much of it was you and how much was Pepper.”

“Pepper helped with the color. I did the rest. You really think I don’t understand what kind of clothes you like by now?”

“I guess you’re right. If you didn’t know what to buy me by now I’d be a little disappointed,” You grin, “Anyway, where’s the rest of your crew? I thought they were supposed to be the main event.”

He laughs a little, “Not really, the media just went a little insane with advertising that they’d be here. Clint’s at some event with his daughter, Natasha’s out networking with Pepper, Thor and Loki haven’t gotten here yet, and Steve and Bucky are upstairs yet. Everyone else, aside from Peter, is around here somewhere.”

You blush a little at the mention of Captain America. You’d been crushing on him since the Avengers first got together. When Loki attacked New York, you were in the tower, since you were worried about Tony. You honestly would have died had a certain Captain not come to your rescue. At that point, you couldn’t help but be swept up in those gorgeous blue eyes. Though, you were sure he barely remembered it.

“Hey, Tony, sorry we’re late,” You hear a voice boom as a pair of men make their way over to the two of you, “I had to drag Steve out of his room.”

Steve shoots you and Tony a nervous smile as his companion says that, quickly going to fidget with his suit. You were so drawn in by the way his tie seemed to perfectly match the shade of blue of his eyes as you turned around that you almost didn’t notice Bucky as he walked over to join the two of you at your place at the bar.

“Hey, earth to (y/n),” You hear Tony break through your daydream.

Your head snaps around to look at him as he raises his eyebrows at you and pretends to wipe drool from his chin. You roll your eyes at him, and, failing to think of a way to subtly flip him off at a formal event, you opt to stick your tongue out at him like a child in an argument with their sibling.

Bucky chuckles a little at your interaction as he takes a seat near you at the bar and waves Steve over to join you, “So, doll, what’ve you been up to?”

You sigh, “Oh, honestly not a lot. I’m sure normal job things aren’t all that interesting to you guys.”

“Of course we’re interested in what you’re up to, (y/n),” Steve chimes in, in a tone of voice you’ve never heard him use before, only for him to quickly backtrack, “All we see all day is action, something normal is nice.”

This earns him an elbow in the ribs from Bucky, “What he means to say is we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to,” he attempts to save his friend.

You can’t help the awkward laugh as you start to awkwardly recount your recent activities. After a few nervous jokes between you, Bucky, and Tony, you slowly start to get more comfortable. Eventually all of you, including Steve, and joking around and laughing.

As you start to joke around, you make your way over to the seat next to Bucky and sit down, noticing that you’re starting to get a bit thirsty. The mistake you make is deciding to flag down the bartender to get a drink. Or, more specifically, flagging her down with the arm that is now almost entirely covered in flowers.

“Woah, woah, woah,” Tony cuts into the conversation, interrupting a story Bucky was telling about a fight Steve got into back in the old days, “What’s up with your arm?”

“Shit,” you mutter ask the three turn to look at you, quickly hiding your arm as best you can.

“Let me see,” Tony requests, somewhere between demanding and begging.

“Really, Tony, it’s fine,” You start, “Please, don’t do anything stupid. I really don’t need you to make a big deal about this.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Steve asks, giving you a look reminiscent of a confused puppy.

“(y/n) has a full sleeve of soulmate marks and she’s refusing to show me,” Tony whines, pouting at you like a child trying to convince his mother to buy him sweets.

Bucky raises his eyebrows a bit and glances over at Steve, who shakes his head slightly. The kind of silent conversation that tells you that they definitely know something.

“You know,” Bucky starts with a smirk, “If you don’t show him, he’s just going to make an even bigger deal about it.”

Tony is quick to agree with Bucky, which is honestly a first, and it leads you to consider what he’s saying. Honestly, knowing Tony, he’s probably right. If you don’t just give in, odds are Tony will make some sort of dramatic scene and you’ll end up having to show him anyway.

“Fine,” you sigh, holding your arm out for the three of them to see.

The three of them stare down at the intricate, colorful flowers, the bright colors standing out against your skin. You nervously glace at the three of them to see their reactions.

“Flowers?” Tony seems intrigued as he grabs your arm to examine the artwork closer, “I guess they’re pretty good at drawing them, though.”

As Tony inspects each individual flower, you notice another silent conversation between the other pair. Bucky sends a look in Steve’s direction that you can’t quite decipher, and Steve looks down at your arm with a look that makes you a bit concerned that he might be sick. 

The color drains from Steve’s face as he glances between the artwork on your arm and his best friend’s face. His eyes dart between the two a few times, before he tries to say something, only to choke slightly on his own words. He quickly clears his throat.

“Um, I’ll,” He starts to stutter out, “I’ll be right back.”

Before you can say anything, he runs off towards the elevator. By the time you start to process what just happens, he’s already on his way upstairs.

“Is,” You start, confused, “he ok?”

Bucky can’t seem to hide his disappointment, “I’m sure he’ll be fine. I doubt he wants to talk to me right now, though.”

“What the hell happened, Tin man?” Tony asks, finally letting go of your arm.

“Look, Stark, Steve’s not really great at these kinds of things, you have to give him a bit. He just got overwhelmed.”

“You mean he’s not good with parties?” you ask, a bit confused at the concept of The Captain America being overwhelmed by a crowd.

“Uh, sure, doll,” Bucky responds.

“Well, go get him. Thor should be here any second and I need all of you losers here for my speech,” Tony says, a bit frustrated at the new turn of events.

“I told you, he probably doesn’t want to see me right now. I’m sure I’m locked out of his room.”

“I can check on him, if that’d help,” You chime in, earning a look of surprise from Bucky, “I know a thing or two about getting overwhelmed.”

You see Bucky think about it for a second, before some sort of idea crosses his mind.

“You know what, I think that’d be a good idea.”

You nod and make your way over to the elevator, hitting the up button.

“Good evening, Ms. (y/n). How can I help you?” FRIDAY asks as the doors close behind you.

“Take me to the Avengers floor, please, FRIDAY.”

The elevator buzzes to life and starts to move quickly to the floor. The height of the building always made you nervous when you were there for movie night, especially when you thought about your “almost-fall” from the top floor during Loki’s attack, but right now you were far more focused on making sure Steve was alright.

Youwere still caught up in your worry when the doors to the elevator opened, and you were only brought back to reality when FRIDAY asked if you were alright.

“Yes, thank you, FRIDAY,” You respond, taking steps out of the elevator, “Where is Steve’s room, by the way?”

You start to walk as FRIDAY gives you directions, trying your best not to space out with worrying again. Soon enough, you’re standing in front of Steve’s door.

It takes you a little while to work up the nerve to knock. What if he didn’t want to see you? What if you were just annoying him? Weren’t you just being ridiculous to think you could help him? Captain America?

“Go away, Buck,” You hear his voice from inside the room. It sounds shaky, and almost a little sad.

“Are you alright in there, Steve?” You ask, trying not to ask too softly.

“(y/n)?”

“Can I come in?”

There was a pause, that while it felt like it lasted hours, honestly only lasted a few seconds, before you heard the bed creak and steps coming towards the door. You take a step back and soon enough the door opens.

The man standing in front of you, still in his suit, but now with the jacket off, looked a lot more nervous than the man you had just been joking around with only moments ago. Something about his face looked a little bit defeated and you had to use all of your will power to fight the part of you that just wanted to reach out and pull him into a hug.

“Hey.”

“Can I come in?”

He looks like he’s about to say no, but after a second, he takes a step to the side, inviting you into his room.

As you take a few steps in you start to glance around, noticing the very well done portraits hanging around the wall of the room. Along with the portraits of people you’ve never seen before, you notice a few familiar faces, including those of the Avengers. You can’t help but smile as you look at the amazing drawings of Tony and all of his friends. People you can’t even hope would consider you a friend as well.

“You’re a very good artist, Steve,” You say, absentmindedly making your way towards the bed to sit down. 

“Uh, thanks,” He replies awkwardly, “I’ve had a while to practice.”

As you make it to the bed, about to sit down, you notice a spread of markers laid out across the bedspread. You look down at them in confusion, before looking back up at Steve, to find him awkwardly rubbing his arm, where you just now notice his now rolled up sleeves and the half-done drawings of flowers, added on to a strikingly familiar sleeve of flowers.

“I draw flowers when I’m nervous,” he explains, quietly.

“That’s why you ran?”

“Yes.”

“It’s that bad to be my soulmate?” You take a step back from him as he starts to walk towards you.

“What, no!”

You fight back tears as you try to duck past him towards the door, “No, it’s alright. You deserve better.”

“No, that’s not what I meant!” You attempt to keep walking away.

He curses under his breath, and grabs your arm, “No, (y/n), let me explain!”

“No, Steve, I get it. You’re Captain America, and I’m just some boring civilian. You could probably get just about any girl you want, so why would you settle for me?”

“Fuck, (y/n), I just don’t know anything about women, ok?”

You jump a little as he shouts, surprised by his sudden outburst of emotion. He quickly drops your arm when he notices what he just did.

“See?”

You notice his eyes drop to the floor and his shoulders sag. At that moment, every part of your brain screams at you to comfort him, but you’re too confused to actually do anything. 

“Steve, what are you talking about?”

He looks up at you, obviously surprised you haven’t left yet, “I’ve been in love with you for years and every time I try to talk to you I can’t seem to act cool. Or even normal. I’m sure I blew my shot with you so long ago.”

“You absolute idiot,” You laugh a little as you say it, but Steve still looks entirely confused and a little bit hurt, so you continue to explain, “I’ve been in love with you since you saved me. Everything about you is just so… perfect. And not just in the Captain America way. You’re so sweet, and your awkward comments are honestly really cute. I just thought there was no way you’d ever care about someone like me. I’m probably the least interesting person you’ve ever met!”

“Wait, really?”

“Of course,” you respond, pulling him into a hug, knowing full well it would take a little bit yet before Steve was comfortable with anything else.

“So,” He starts to stutter out, “Would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime?”

You laugh a bit at his still awkward proposal, “Of course, love.”

“We should probably get back to the party, huh?”

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

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[softbiker]

Steve Rogers Oneshot

Warnings: mentions of character death, cursing, haunting, spooky stuff, angst

Word count: 7.1k

Summary: Steve Rogers is a man out of time. He knows more ghosts than people. One of his ghosts has come home. 

A/N: This is waaaay longer than I normally write, but I just wanted to do it justice. This is my submission for @barnesrogersvstheworld​ AYAOTD writing challenge! Sort of an Endgame AU, also features an appearance from a rather obscure Marvel comics character. The prompt I had was “Don’t look behind you.” - it’s highlighted in bold. This is also really sad. I’m sorry for that...but please let me know what you think! 

His tastes have changed.

Most people wouldn’t have known that - wouldn’t have seen anything abnormal about a 100+ year old man reaching for minute oatmeal and Folgers at the grocery store. There had been a few articles, before, in health or men’s interest magazines, about the ‘Super Soldier Diet’. They were much more colorful than this - full of sugary cereals and peanut butter and seasonal frappuccinos. The articles always ended with reminders that a normal human should reach for more nutritious foods.

Steve pulls his oats - plain, made with water, no sweetener - from the microwave, and stirs just a little. Not thick enough; he replaces the bowl and adds another 30 seconds to the microwave timer. On the counter, the Mr. Coffee drips away, slowly filling the pot.

He eats quietly, perched on a stool at the island; he never uses the table anymore. A few news highlights appear in the notifications on his phone, and he scrolls through them, eyes scanning as he spoons his tasteless breakfast into his mouth.

New York Nears Completion of Relocation Program he reads, letting his thumb swipe down to read more of the article.

“Almost three years after the globally devastating event in which Earth’s population was reduced by half, the people of New York City are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel in their relocation efforts for residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the aftermath of the Decimation. The project, one of the last proposals by Tony Stark before his retirement from the Department of Damage Control, is expected to end-”

He closes his phone.

**********

There are three support group meetings that he attends each week - two as a leader, one as a participant.

“You should come, Nat.” He’s a broken record, but he just keeps spinning. Like the planet, like the solar system. If he falls out of orbit- “Just once. You might be surprised…”

“Some of us still have jobs, Steve.” She raises a still perfect eyebrow, now back to its natural red. He finds a little comfort in that.

“They’re not mutually exclusive.”

“Maybe not. But don’t wait up for me.”

The Tuesday meeting is the hardest, though it was the first one he ever lead. It caters to a specific group, a group that looks to him because...well, because he lost what they lost. He wonders if they know, if they realize, that it’s all his fault.

“Jackie was...she was my rock, you know?” The new woman, Elsie, sniffs as she continues. “We went through a lot together, and I remember thinking all that time ‘God, what would I do without her?’ And now I know the answer - spiral and-and become an alcoholic.”

“You can’t blame yourself for all of that.” Steve shakes his head. “There was so much more going on - the world was practically in flames, and you were trying to cope. What matters is that you’re here now, trying to get better.”

Elsie is nodding, accepting a tissue from the man sitting next to her. She gives a shaky little smile and settles back in her chair, done sharing for now. Steve glances around the circle, waiting for someone else to speak up.

It was such an odd reversal for him, especially at first. When he first wandered into one of Sam’s support group meetings, he had felt out of place and alone - and that feeling was exactly why he belonged in a place like that. Sam could see it. It was one of his gifts; he was better at reading people than anyone Steve knew, except maybe Natasha. Even when Bucky came along, and Sam played the tough act, he could see all of that fear and pain, and knew exactly what to do with it. Over the years they were in hiding, Sam would secretly reach out to Bucky - during their visits in Wakanda, Steve found the two of them sitting at the lake behind Bucky’s hut and talking, low and intense.

“You know, sometimes-” It’s a man on the opposite side of the circle, dark-skinned with a greying beard. “I don’t know about all of you, but sometimes...I wonder if they can see us. If they know what we’re doing. Does that make any sense?”

He gets a few nods and murmurs from the group, so he goes on.

“I mean, after my old man died, my mom used to say he was watching over me.” He swallows thickly. “She was on her own, tucking a 9-year-old boy in at night, and telling me that Daddy could see me from heaven, that he was looking out for me. And I just think....well, I wanna know - where are they? Are they in heaven? Is that even possible?”

He turns to Steve, several of the people in the circle do. It’s always like this - whenever the sessions turn to specific questions or musings about what happened, they look to him. Because shouldn’t he know? He had lead them, he failed them, he was there when their lives went up in dust.

“Well, I don’t think I’m qualified to offer religious advice,” he starts with a rueful smile. “And, from everything I’ve seen, I don’t think we even know what’s possible. All I know is, we can’t live in the past...even if they see us, wherever they are, we have to accept that they’re really...gone.” He crossed his arms. “They’re not here with us anymore.”

The group has gone quiet, reflective. Most are staring at their hands rather than him, each lost in their own haze of memory and ashes. He wishes he could offer them more, but he knows grief like this, and Steve Rogers is honest to a fault - he won’t lie, even for the sake of comfort.

“We’re on our own now.”

**********

He goes for runs alone now.

No Bucky to keep up with him, pushing the pace and trying to trip him. No Sam to complain about his hamstrings and insist on coffee afterwards. Not even music on those weird tiny headphones she had gotten him. Just his sneakers and pavement and the sound of his own breath. Sometimes he hated that - how he never got winded anymore, never sounded hurt and tired, the way he would wheeze through his asthma attacks with Bucky holding him up and reminding him how to pull in air. The machine of his body was too efficient for that.

In his apartment, he takes short showers, cold and fast, like in the Army. The soap is blue, with a generic smell that is clean and reminds him of nothing. He turns and tilts his head back under the spray, allowing a few more seconds to rinse and-

He nearly jumps when a burst of heat runs down his back.

The water has suddenly turned hot, a steamy, balmy, sultry hot that turns his soft Irish skin pink. He had never had this problem with his showers before - never run out of cold water certainly. Maybe something was wrong with the…

When he turned around, he saw the hot water knob turning slowly clockwise, centimeter by centimeter, untouched.

He shut off the water and got out.

**********

“I’m gonna have to call a plumber sometime.”

“Oh yeah? I thought all you old guys were handymen.”

“Ha ha.” He watches Nat scoop some spaghetti into bowls for the two of them. “I was the artist type. Not really handy around the house.”

“Guess that means Barnes was wearing the pants?” She’s smirking, and he feels like he’s seeing the real Nat again, so he goes along with the joke.

“How could he not? Who’s gonna let a 90-pound asthmatic wear the pants?”

“So what’s wrong with your plumbing?” Nat peeks over the fridge door as she grabs some parmesan and a bottle of wine. Steve, under strict orders not to help, is watching from the kitchen table.

“It’s my shower, something happened the other day. The water turned hot while I was in the middle of showering, even though I had it turned cold.”

“Hm. Weird.”

Steve comes out here at least once a month, or as often as he can. He sees the way that Natasha would rather slip into her work, lose herself in the business of holding the pieces of the world together, let go of her own life. The pantry, open and visible from where he’s sitting, is stocked with the bare minimum dry goods and canned foods; the fridge isn’t much better. He’s seen her on missions, seen her at home in her mismatched socks; he knows that she’d barely feed herself, surviving on a sandwich a day, if the thought or the hunger struck her. So he comes and threatens to cook and she saves the compound from being burned down by making a meal for the two of them.

It’s a far cry from normal. From pizza nights with Sam and Wanda at the compound, the two of them taking turns introducing Steve to movies he missed - all the “classics” he hadn’t heard of. They were missing their monthly family dinners, too; Tony always made room in his schedule to attend, dragging Pepper along from the office, and Steve sat at the head of their long dining table watching this strange, funny little family he had share and eat and laugh with each other.

Now he sits across from Natasha at a table otherwise occupied by her scattered files and reports, a pair of pointe shoes laying in the chair next to her. He didn’t come often enough to expect her to clean for him. She had enough on her plate.

“You know, I was talking to Carol last week,” Nat says, twirling her pasta around her fork. “And she said she might make it to visit us next month. It’ll depend on that trafficking case she was working in the Pegasus galaxy.” She shrugs a little.

“That’s good.” Steve chews, sips his wine. “It would be nice to see her.”

They don’t talk much throughout their meal; there isn’t much new to share. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows along the wall of the compound, Steve watches the early sunset fall over the grounds, shadows reaching and reaching, as quiet as it was empty.

**********

Sometimes, sometimes, when he’s feeling more stupid than usual, he opens the drawer.

That drawer. The lower one in his bedside table. With her box inside.

The box isn’t really anything special - just plain black, with her name written on the top. He got it at the suggestion of the team’s - his - therapist, Dr. Rajan. She recommended that putting some things away, rather than leaving them around his room, might help him move on, realize that his life had changed. He thought about putting the compass in the box, too, but it felt wrong. She wouldn’t want that in there. Somehow it mostly ends up in his pocket, and he stares at it from time to time, at the picture inside, thinking about words like should have and what if.

He’s staring at the drawer now, remembering the night before, when he thought about getting the box after he shuffled in from support group. When he was halfway through his flask of that Asgardian shit he kept under the bed. Steve had shuffled out of his clothes and fallen asleep in his underwear instead, flask still clutched in his hand, just sober enough to turn down the bad idea.

So why was the drawer open?

**********

“Have you thought about getting back out there? Dating again?”

His laugh is humorless.

“Doc, come on. I think we both know I’m not the type.”

“All we know is that you’re a serial monogamist.” She smiles. “And a very eligible one.”

“Sure, but…” Steve pauses, rubbing his palms against his jeans. He looks around the office, trying to find something to focus on. “I feel lucky...really lucky, to have had the kind of love I got. I mean, I never really expected to have it, not after I woke up in this century. And then, with her, it just sort of happened so naturally...well, lightning never strikes twice, as the saying goes.”

“It seems like, for you at least, it did,” Dr. Rajan raises her brows. “Two great loves in one lifetime? More rare than lightning.”

He runs a hand through his hair, still long on the top.

“I-I guess so. But it won’t strike a third time.”

“Because you’re not going to give it a chance?”

“You know me too well, doc.” His smile is apologetic, kind.

**********

At night, he sweats through dreams of her. His legs tangle in sheets where they used to twist and curl around her. The pillows smell only of him, his blue generic soap, but in his mind, locked somewhere far and sweet, her scent fills the air. Fills him up until he tastes it.

He tastes her, too, in dreams; under him, around him, pressed close in that intimate haze only lovers can know. Her lips chase his and smile into his mouth, following the curve of his jaw as he tucks his own face into her neck. It’s in his veins now, her smell and taste, ripe and alive on his tongue and oh, he’s swimming in it. She sighs, blissful, and sinks her teeth into that spot at the base of his throat-

Bedsheets fly off him as he bolts upright in bed, chest heaving, the sweat rolling in little beads down his temple. The smell is fading, drifting away from the room even as he tries to hold on to it; she was here, right here, and it had all felt so real, having her in his arms again. But now he’s wading back to consciousness, unwillingly, the tide of his dream pulling away from the shore and tugging at his ankles, carrying her with it. He wants to drift out to sea on it, drown in it, never resurface in this half-empty world.

Always so dramatic, Rogers.

Something nags at the corner of his eye, and he turns to the bedside table. In the pre-dawn light of the window, he can see the second drawer open. Her box is pulled forward to the front of the drawer with its lid propped up, asking, begging to be seen. He feels himself almost chasing the tide, diving back in as he leans over the side of his bed…

He slams the drawer shut.

Steve blows a harsh breath past his lips and swings his legs out of bed, tugging the sheet from between his thighs. His bare feet brush the cold wood and he arches up on his toes, tight muscles protesting the stretch. Palms scrub at his heavy eyes, brushing away what he can of his sleep. He has no plans to go back to bed, not now. He’ll just get an early start on his run. Maybe put in a few extra miles. He runs a hand through his hair, fingernails scratching absently at his scalp.

Stumbling into the bathroom, he turns the cold water tap in the sink and splashes his face a few times, feeling the two-day stubble on his cheeks. The shave can wait until after his run, he thinks. He stands straighter and reaches for the towel next to the sink, patting his face dry - he leaves his eyes closed, buried in the cotton for a moment before meeting his own gaze in the mirror. Immediately his eyes are drawn down to - what the hell is that?

At the base of his neck, just where it meets his shoulder, is a small red mark. A love bite. He presses it with a finger and hisses at the tenderness of the skin. Unbidden, the wave of his dream crashes over him, rolling him under, and he can almost feel her lips again…

The hair on the back of his neck and arms is standing straight up, his body gone cold all over. He thinks, maybe, he should go back to bed after all. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, he hears his own name. What if...what if she’s waiting for me? He almost turns around, almost looks at the rumpled bed, almost expects her to be in it, rolling over in that tangled mess and smiling past the curve of her shoulder…

He yanks on a hoodie and running pants, toeing into his sneakers without socks, and leaves the apartment unlocked. Hardly knowing it, he clocks 50 miles, the sun high overhead before he can force his legs to stop, even his enhanced muscles starting to twitch. His sweat is still cold.

**********

There’s a memorial. Lots of them, actually.

All the major cities have at least one, and New York has built theirs, unsurprisingly, in Memorial Park. It’s huge, a sprawling garden of sculpture installations covered overhead by a soft white canopy. A retaining wall, approximately 3 feet high, lines the garden beds and holds in the dark rubber mulch, its outer white brick etched with the names of the lost. Even Steve could admit that it was beautiful, and so different from the solemn obelisks and walls of names he had expected when the memorial was announced.

The city had commissioned a team of artists, led by the famous Chihuly, to create blown glass sculptures using...well, as much of the collected ashes of decimated people as they could. “Cremation glass��� it was called. The concept was morbid; though symbolically beautiful, most hadn’t imagined a stunning art gallery, more suited to the Met than this mass grave of the unknown.

Steve was there when it was dedicated, as was Tony. He was asked to say a few words, and he did; he has no idea, now, what he read from those cards handed to him by the administrative team. A black suit stretched around his shoulders, no shield in sight, his tie more like a noose as he watched the somber faces of the attendees. Loved ones and friends of people he had failed. A living memorial. Tony stood next to him, year-old wedding band still shining as he crossed his hands in front of him and declined to speak.

There are a few locations he has memorized around the park, the Lost Garden, as it has been named. A blooming blue hydrangea bush, sculpted white flowers and leaves pressed between the green, with the name “James B. Barnes” carved a few inches below. Across from it, red and yellow globes hang from a white tree, the round shadows falling over “Samuel Wilson”. Two rows over, an exploding tower of tangled green and blue spirals, surrounded by bushes, guards the name “Wanda Maximoff”.

Hers is carved neatly - block letters, plain font - into the white brick near the entrance of the memorial. Above it, a cherry blossom tree blooms sweetly, the pink flowers joined by purple and pink glass stems sprouting up from the ground around the trunk of the tree. Soft green bushes hem in the sculpture, as though keeping the glass from growing too far. It’s whimsical, charming. Elegant.

He fucking hates it.

He hates how this is meant to honor her - the vibrancy of her memory, the slyness of her smile, the passion of her love, the ferocity of her anger. She was more solid and real and hard than the delicate stems of glass that stood for her now. It wasn’t even her ashes in there anyway - he knows that for certain. He knows because he felt her drift through his hands under a hot Wakandan sun. He had watched the dust float and settle and knew that all the parts of her he kissed and held were under his feet and in his mouth and Jesus God it made him want to scream.

He doesn’t know whose ashes are here, in the glass above her name. But he wants to smash it. Put a fist through it. Hear that tinkling glass shatter on the ground the way she did. It would only be right.

As he stands there, staring at the falling cherry blossoms scattered around the sculpture, he feels the air go cold around him. His whole body breaks out in goosebumps and the little hairs on the back of his neck start prickling. He shudders, looking around, but no one else is nearby. It’s a late spring day, warm and getting warmer, with the sun beaming through scattered clouds. He shouldn’t be shivering.

The wind picks up, light breeze growing stronger, and the long stalks of glass begin to vibrate. A low hum builds as the wind carves its way between the sculptures, a plaintive, lonely noise that he feels low in his belly.

Steve…

He whips his head around, looking up and down the row, but he’s alone - no one else is here. That whisper, his name, it was so close…

Steeeeve

He’s turning a full circle, looking for a microphone or a drone or something tiny like Scott’s suit.

“Hello? Who’s there?”

Stevie …

A cloud of cherry blossoms billows into his face, making him jump back. The chill sinks through his skin, slips down his spine bone by bone with each breath. His heart is hammering hard and fast. That name, that voice - it’s been three years. They’re gone. It’s not possible. He closes his eyes as he feels a presence close beside him, right at his shoulder, and he knows, he knows if he turns his head she’ll be-

“Captain Rogers? You alright?”

He jumps again, startled, and looks over to see a policeman watching him, eyes wary and concerned. The officer was young, like all of them now - mass recruiting in public services has been going on for a couple of years, with things nearly falling into chaos after...everything. The military, the police, trying to swell their numbers enough with what was left of the population to keep the world in check. Not like the Avengers were doing a very good job.

“Captain?” The young officer asks again, inching a half-step towards Steve. His hand, unconsciously, twitches towards his radio.

“I’m fine - really,” Steve shakes his head and offers a smile. “Everything’s fine. Just...remembering someone.”

The kid nods; Steve wonders if he himself ever looked so young in a uniform.

“I understand.” He’s tugging at his uniform jacket. “My, uh, parents - they’re over there.” He points at a patch of lilies, not far from Wanda. “And my brother.”

“I’m so sorry.”

That’s all he ever says these days. I’m sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Everyone pretends that it’s enough.

He walks the kid - the officer - back to his patrol car, shakes his hand; the boy has to crane his head back to look up at him, and he stares up at Steve like there’s still hope in this world. Steve doesn’t have the heart to tell him.

**********

The chill follows him into the summer. Even with the sun high and New York sweltering with heat, Steve shivers in his apartment, cold biting at him until he aches with it. He cranks the heat on his thermostat, yet still finds a harsh breeze blowing through his apartment somehow. He allows the shower faucet to continue turning hot - blistering hot, the way she liked it - now that this chill won’t let him go.

Despite that, he finds himself staying in more than ever. He was never exactly a social butterfly - Bucky could testify to that. It tumbles him into memory: Bucky, slicked-back hair and spit-shined shoes, a rose tucked into the lapel of his jacket; Bucky, chin thrown back and ready to laugh at the world, an arm around Steve’s shoulders as he drags them on yet another double date. “Ya gotta get out more, Rogers,” he’d say, cigarette tucked behind his ear. “I’m a piss-poor excuse for real company.”

The only people he sees now are Dr. Rajan and the members of his support groups. Occasionally Nat, but she’s been traveling more lately, following the crumbs of Clint’s trail. Their emails are few and far between, containing only the bare bones.

It’s a Friday night - or maybe it’s Saturday, Sunday. He sits on the edge of his bed, turning the little thing over in his hands. The compass stays in his pocket most days. He flips it open, stares at the portrait inside, the one he’s had memorized since ‘43. He could draw it with his eyes closed, probably.

Suddenly, the compass snaps shut, unbidden, in his hand. It shakes, the mechanisms inside rattling violently, and grows hot to the touch. He yelps and it falls from his palm, dropping to the floor between his feet. The skin of his hands is red, scalded, and he flexes his fingers, watching the trinket warily. It lies on the floor, perfectly still.

Behind him, he hears the second drawer of his dresser roll open.

**********

More dreams come to him, sweet ones, and he sinks into them without protest. He falls into his bed at night happily, searching for the smell of her somewhere behind his eyes. She’s always there, always smiling for him, reaching and pulling him further down into their own special hiding place. She’s there in her uniform, in her sweatpants, in his t-shirt, in nothing at all.

“C’mere, Stevie baby,” she nuzzles his nose, and he’s close to tears but he doesn’t know why. Then she’s tugging at his own clothes and he’s not thinking about it at all.

The ache in his throat returns when he wakes empty-handed and alone. Beneath his jaw, a line of hickeys leads down his neck and across his shoulder. His breath puffs in small clouds as he pants and tries not to cry.

**********

“You don’t look so good, Steve.” Nat’s tone is worried, her voice tight. She watches him stare at the wall with a cup of coffee in his massive hands. “Have you been sleeping?”

He nearly chuckles at that.

“A little too much, I think.” He goes quiet then, mouth turning back down, carved sadness in that larger-than-life face.

“I think...God, Nat,” Steve slumps forward, elbows on his knees. “I think I’m losing my mind.”

“Join the club.” She sits down next to him, sliding a soft hand across his back. Her voice is just above a whisper. “We’re all still struggling. You know that. You’ve seen it. Sometimes it feels...it feels like...you’re just holding on by a thread.”

He’s shaking his head before she finishes.

“Have you - do you dream about them? Ever?”

“Of course.”

“No, I mean…” Steve rubs his eyes. “I mean...do the dreams feel...when you wake up, does it feel like it really happened.”

Nat frowns.

“I’m not following you, Steve.”

He sighs, heavy and resigned.

“No, I know. I’m not making any sense.” He leans into her embrace a little. He likes the contact of it. Hasn’t had that in a long time.

“Listen, Nat. I know S.H.I.E.L.D. used to keep a lot of records of...enhanced individuals…”

“Sure. Everyone that pinged on their radar,” she nods. “So, pretty much anyone with abilities.”

“I need to have a look at them.”

“Anything in particular you’re looking for?”

“Yes. But if I told you, you’d have me committed.”

“Yeah, that really makes me want to help you.” She leans her head against his shoulder, fingers squeezing his bicep. Her voice still soft and low. “Tell me what you need.”

**********

They meet in a public place. It’s not hard now, with the world half-dead, to go about their business as though they are two men with nothing to hide. A bright, hot July sun beats on their heads, and Steve adjusts his sunglasses as a bead of sweat slides down his neck. On the street, traffic grumbles along, bikers and street vendors and tourists darting between. The hard metal chair of the café presses into the soft underside of his knees, leaving little dents in his skin.

“It is nice to finally meet you, Captain,” the man across from him smiles. The white symbol on his forehead stands out starkly against his dark skin. “I understand we move in different circles.”

They’re sitting outside a small restaurant in Port-au-Prince, only coffee on the table in front of them. The heat is sweltering, oppressive, different from the New York heat that Steve knows. Part of him wishes they were near the beach, with the wind coming off the ocean. She would have begged him to go to the beach.

“That we do,” Steve raises his eyebrows. “Even with everything that’s happened, aliens, Thanos...things like magic are still...hard to believe.”

“Hm.” Jericho Drumm leans back in his chair, steeples his fingers. “I think you are here because...it’s not so hard anymore, yes?”

He grits his teeth. There are fingernail scratches on his back and they chafe against the sweaty cotton of his shirt.

“You’re a smart man, Jericho,” he sighs. “And I think you might be the only person who can help me.”

Jericho Drumm nods.

“Yes, I think so, too.”

According to the S.H.I.E.L.D. files Steve spent all his free time digging through, there were only a few enhanced individuals with supernatural abilities. And now half of them were gone. Some, like the sorcerer Tony told him about, had managed to stay under the radar for thousands of years. With precious little to go on besides an alias, Steve commandeered a quinjet and packed a bag for Haiti.

“What you are asking me...communication with the spirits…” Jericho shakes his head. “It’s not what you think. Or what it looks like in the movies.”

“Then tell me,” Steve presses, leaning his elbows on the table. His coffee is half full. He can see his reflection in the oily surface of it.

“I’ve served as a houngan for many years; I’ve served as Sorcerer Supreme. In fact, with Stephen Strange gone, they may ask me to serve again. But inviting spirits into this world is a dangerous practice - not white magic.”

“But it can be done?”

Jericho narrows his eyes. The white streak in his hair is bright in the noonday sun.

“When Thanos tore a rift in this world, in this universe,” he speaks slowly, choosing his words with careful consideration. “He tore through the other side as well. The things he’s done affect us all, the living and the dead. It is possible, the things you describe, are caused by this. A ripple effect, if you will. A door not closed.”

“A ripple.”

“Yes. However,” Drumm raises a finger, leaning forward to speak in a low voice. “I will say something else. I may have years of experience with the supernatural, but I studied psychology as well. My time in America was mostly in a university, studying the human mind, how it works…” He pauses for a moment, giving Steve a look that is on the suspicious side of apologetic. “Our minds are powerful. When a person wishes for things, even terrible things, the mind can give them what they seek.”

Steve closes his eyes, jaw tightening.

“Believe me, I know how I sound,” he sighs. “I know. My therapist says the same thing. But if anyone’s going to believe me, it’s you. This is not in my mind.” His fingers are shaking and he curls them into fists. “This is real. She’s...it’s real. It’s her.” Haunting me.

Dr. Drumm nods, sympathetic and quiet. He watches this captain, this legend, the age showing in his young man’s body. With the sunglasses propped up on his head, the dark circles beneath Steve’s puffy eyes are on full display. His shoulders curl in, posture defensive, small. His knee bounces under the table, and his jaw ticks every so often, teeth clicking in his mouth. There is a bruise visible at the base of his neck where the collar of his shirt has shifted to one side.

“Very well, Captain. I will do my best to help you.”

**********

He sits cross-legged on the tile floor of the bathroom, surveying the items in front of him. According to Dr. Drumm, he would need only a few candles, items that belonged to her, a circle of salt to protect himself. Incense, too, burning in the corner, the smell of sage and smoke floating around him. The lights are off, only the flickering candles illuminating the room.

He feels a little silly, setting all of this up. When he was a boy, vampires and werewolves and ghosts were all just stories - hiding under the covers with Bucky and scaring themselves silly. No real monsters hid under his bed. All of that came later.

Under his shirt, the amulet rests against his chest, growing warm with his own body heat.

“If you must do this alone as you insist,” Jericho had said, shaking his head. “Then wear this. Bene gris-gris. It is the best I can do to protect you from dark magic.” His steel grip closed around Steve’s arm. “And this may be a dark thing, Captain. Her coming back to you. It doesn’t feel like white magic.”

Steve had only nodded, his hand closing around the amulet. He was beyond light and dark now, beyond counting costs. He had chased ghosts for so long after he woke up. It’s only right for him to chase her, too.

Here, in the bathroom, toes pressed to cold tile, he digs two more items out of his pockets. Dr. Drumm said to bring something that would ground him to himself, something special. He turns the compass over in his hand, flicks it open, and sets it on the edge of the circle. From the other pocket, he fishes a black velvet box. His fingers twitch, feeling the soft fabric; he doesn’t want to open it. He hasn’t opened it, since he took the ring off their nightstand in Wakanda and put it back in the box. She hadn’t worn it - didn’t like wearing it on missions or in fights. Afraid of scratching it. She had wiggled it off her finger, smiling at him, leaving a kiss on his bearded jaw-

He leaves the box closed for now, and places it in the center next to the other tokens - a photo of her, a necklace with a small silver pendant she used to wear whenever they went on dinner dates, a little jar of seashells from a beach vacation she took in college. All the little things he had packed away in that nightstand drawer. Memories he had put into storage.

Safe inside his little circle, he reaches in his shirt and grabs the amulet tight in his fist. He closes his eyes. Breathes deep the incense and soft curling smoke from his candles.

He says her name softly in the dark.

In his mind, he shifts his awareness down the plane of his body, piece by piece. He learned meditation techniques during his therapy sessions; now he has another use for them. He says her name again.

“I want to speak to you.” He says, voice low, a lover’s intimacy. “I call on your spirit.”

Her name. Her name. Her name.

He’s not sure how long he stays there, curled on the floor, but the chant of her name lulls him into a trance. His eyes are half-open, the candles wavering in front of him, casting long shadows on the walls. He licks his lips, calls her name again.

One by one, the candles snuff out.

He goes quiet. Smoke curls up to his nose, but he can’t see - the only light is coming from underneath the bathroom door. That familiar chill trickles down the back of his neck, raising the hairs. His flesh is covered in goosebumps; his muscles tense up, coiled tight, ready to spring. His tongue lies dry and thick against his teeth.

“Hello?”

Steve?

He sighs her name. “Sweetheart, is that you?”

A cold breeze passes over his face, rumpling his shirt.

“Are you there?”

The compass flies up and smashes against the wall.

Steve…

Her voice is harsher. Sadder.

“Baby, please,” he’s begging now. He can feel how close she is, she’s in the room, he knows it like he knows his own body. Like he knew hers.

For the first 25 years of his life, he lived with asthma - any little trigger could set him aching for air, his lungs betraying their purpose and seizing up on him, his whole body trembling in relief when he managed to pull in oxygen. He feels that ache for her now - acute and sharp as it was the day he first lost her, a physical pain and its cure so close, so close, if she would only let him - let him breathe-

Oh, Steve.

“Honey, I’m here, I’m right here.” He stands in his little circle, spinning around, though he still sees nothing in the darkened bathroom. He feels the tip of his nose go numb in the frigid air, his body shivering slightly.

I’m here, too, Stevie.

“Where, baby? Where are you?” He’s desperate, so desperate. He’s going to cry if she doesn’t-

I’m here. Look.

He feels, thinks he feels, cold fingers brush down his cheek, and he turns. The mirror above the sink is frosted over, he can see it now that his eyes are adjusting to the pale dark, and he stumbles towards it. Pulls a sleeve down over his hand and wipes at the fog, the remains of his body heat melting it away in streaks.

“Oh...oh god.” He grips the edges of the sink.

Hi, baby.

There she is. There she is. Standing right behind him, over his shoulder. His eyes sweep over her face in the mirror, scanning the details he never forgot, not for a moment. Her lips quirk a sad little smile, tilting her head.

You don’t look so good, Rogers.

His laugh comes out as a sob, and he nods. Fingers curl tighter over the edge of the sink because it’s all that’s holding him up right now. In the reflection, he sees her take a step closer to him - feels her presence, her smell is right behind him and if he can just turn and take her in his arms then everything will be alright again…

NO DON’T!

The force of it is loud in his mind, sends him reeling forward against the sink. Her lips are trembling in a soft frown.

Don’t look behind you.

It sounds so soft. So sad. And he knows, knows in the marrow of his bones, that this is it, this is all they can have. This halfway, this inbetween, this ships in the night barely seen as they pass - it’s all he gets. All he has left.

He presses his hand to the cold glass of the mirror, tips of his fingers stroking the image of her face. His chin feels weak, jaw slack, his hip leaning against the sink. She’s crying, too, tears shining against her soft cheeks.

“Where are you? Do you know what’s happening?” He manages to ask. It’s the question, the question everyone would ask of their ghosts. She shakes her head a little.

I...I don’t really know. But I know I’m not with you.

He nods, tries to swallow around the thick lump in his throat.

Wherever I am, I’m not with you. And I miss you, Steve.

“I miss you - God, honey, I miss you so bad-” his breath hitches, and he wonders in the back of his mind if he’s going to have another asthma attack, his first in 70 years. “I-I need you, sweetheart. Jesus Christ, I miss you. I don’t know what I’m doing without you and-and-”

He’s hyperventilating, breaths stuttering in his chest. The hand that’s pressed to the mirror has gone numb with cold but he won’t move it, not if it’s the closest he comes to touching her face. He watches her come closer to him, behind him - her smell fills the room, no smoke, no incense, only her. His teeth are clattering in his mouth even as he tries to grit them together, lungs stuttering and he’s so so cold but he only half feels it; the muscles in his back jump and twitch as he feels her, really feels her, right behind him. And then-

I know, baby. I know.

Her forehead presses between his shaking shoulder blades. Icy hands creep up beneath his shirt, pressing right over his heart. Her arms lock around his ribs and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze - as if she could brand herself there. In the glass, Steve’s lips are blue and his sobbing breaths come out as little frozen clouds. The mirror is starting to frost over again; the goosebumps on his body won’t lie down. His eyes slip closed, tears chilling in their tracks on his cheeks, and he presses his hand over hers at his heart.

I’m right here.

The ache in his chest sharpens, then dulls, slow and familiar. Something he always carries. His breaths are slowing now, the trembling in his muscles calms a little. She traces a frozen circle over his heart.

I’m right here.

He sighs her name before he blacks out.

**********

Natasha watches Steve in his kitchen, her green eyes sharp and narrow. She hasn’t been to his apartment in a long time, but three days of no answered phone calls, texts, or emails and the Black Widow will investigate. He seems...fine. As fine as Steve has been since it all happened, when he went clean-shaven and cropped his hair, like girls do after a break-up. He smiles over his shoulder while stirring the pot in front of him.

“It’s the one thing my ma made sure I knew how to make for myself,” he says. “She knew I’d need this soup every time I got sick.”

“That’s sweet,” she says. And it is, though she’s never heard him mention it before.

They eat on barstools at the island, sharing little bits of conversation, small talk, mission updates. Sound bites of friendship. Still no explanation for his radio silence.

“Can I use your bathroom?” She sighs as he scoots back his stool, scooping up their bowls to take to the sink.

“Of course - you don’t have to ask, Nat.”

She slips down the hall. Doesn’t go to the bathroom - turns right instead.

On the floor of his bedroom, she sees the candles. The circle. The pictures. A little jar of seashells on his nightstand. While they were eating, she had seen something new - a little chain around his neck, the shape of something underneath, suspiciously like a ring.

Natasha leaves without saying a word, maybe hugs him a little tighter at the door.

She won’t begrudge him this.

[ohwereusingourmadeupnames]

roommates AU!! Maybe one where young Tony has had a string of awful roommates (ie. they bully him for his age, etc.). The housing office transfers him one last time and tells him to give it a week. If this one still doesn't work out, then they'll let him room alone. At first, Tony just wants the week to be over, but of course his new roommate is the sweet Peter Parker. Cue pining!Tony, oblivious!Peter and a fluffy resolution... Just my rambles, but always excited to see what you come up with!

do the thing - send in all the prompts.    

Nonnie, this was a lovely prompt - thank you so much for the idea! I aged Tony up a little bit to make sure there wasn’t anything underage, but I hope I hit all the things you were looking for! 

Tony always figured flying through school would be a breeze. And for the most part – it was. The class material turned out to be easier than even he anticipated; he could’ve easily gotten through high school with his eyes closed. At 16, the concept of winning was the only thing that registered to him – what he was winning, he didn’t really know; but beating out his peers around him always made him feel just a bit better about how ridiculously brainy he really was.

Of course, the social aspect of school wasn’t nearly as easy. Most people didn’t understand what it was like to be the son of Howard Stark – Tony knew the inside of a lab before the age of 4 and attended dinners with some of the world’s figure heads on a consistent basis. As one of the youngest people in the entire room always, Tony struggled to fit in. Being smart wasn’t the piece of school that people admired, especially when the age gap was already so substantial. To say he was picked on was putting it mildly.

He assumed getting to college would end all of the bullying that came pre-packaged in the high school experience. Why would people in the pursuit of a degree in higher education care how old anyone was? The shocking reality of how wrong he was came when his very first roommate locked him out of the dorm for a full 48-hours. Tony didn’t like to throw around the weight of his name, but he hadn’t showered and needed textbooks to get to some of his classes. Needless to say, his roommate did not remain in the room for much longer.

Tony’s next roommate at least lasted for the rest of the year – he was an asshole at all points in time, but he didn’t lock him out of the room or touch his shit. There wasn’t enough of a connection to ask him back as a roommate – so Tony put his name back on the list for a roommate and went about his summer vacation.

Coming back from Italy, Tony was refreshed and more than ready to get through the next year as quickly as possible. He’d turned 17 over the summer and was one step closer to being on the cusp of independence. Then, people couldn’t judge him for his age. Tony walked into the year with a positive attitude – that was quickly bat down by the homophobic bigot they stuck him with. Tony still didn’t like the way faggot sat on the surface of his skin.

The struggle to keep a roommate brought him in front of housing for what felt like the hundredth time – all he wanted was some peace to get through school and maybe enjoy some of it. The notoriety of the university kept the supply of single rooms scarce, but he figured if push really came to shove, he could find a way to get one for himself. Cindy, who’d been dealing with him since his first gem of a roommate screwed the pooch, looked at him with a mixture of pity and concern. “I need you to give it a go one more time, for at least a week. There aren’t any singles available and I’m certain that this person will be suitable for you. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do if all else fails.”

A barely concealed scoff left his mouth, but he nodded, anyway. After the stream of lectures he got from his father when the initial trouble started, Tony was determined to settle the situation by his own means, even if that meant trying to stomach one more person for 7 days. All of his other roommates proved how terrible they were right from the get-go, so he figured he could make it – the other side held the key to his single and a little bit of peace from the boring monotony of societal norms.

A couple of days later, a knock on the door drew Tony from the book in front of him – he’d been balls deep in the chapter on electrical energy conversion. Standing up from his seated position, Tony realized how long he’d been sitting when his feet felt a little numb. The break was obviously needed.

Pulling the door open, Tony let a soft gasp leave his lips – the person standing there was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. Long legs led to a torso that was covered with a white and purple striped shirt and flight jacket. The length of this person’s neck held a head covered in dark brown, curly hair. Tony took a couple of steps back on instinct, his brain going haywire.

“Are you Tony?”

In an attempt to speak, Tony opened his mouth – no words followed, however. Blushing, he chose to nod instead. He opened the door a little bit wider, his hand swinging in a ‘come in gesture’. His lips were quirked into an involuntary smile, everything about his body he could usually control now running on instinct and the overwhelming hormones that coursed through him.

A soft chuckle left the other’s mouth, the sound like music to his ears. Why did it take this long to deliver someone like this to his door? More than anything, Tony hoped that handsome person walking into the dorm that must be his new roommate wasn’t a total piece of shit – he wanted to be able to hold out a little hope.

“I’m Peter – Peter Parker. I just transferred here,” the man, Peter, said – his eyes wandering around the modest fixtures that Tony kept around the shared space. “Is that really a big-screen TV?” Peter’s plumps lips formed a roguish grin, coffee-colored eyes flashing with genuine excitement. “I never thought I’d see one of those in a college dorm room.”

Tony watched him trace a hand across the top, his fingers fiddling with the wiring at the back of it. “And it has HDMI capability. We can get both of my systems set up on this thing.” Peter’s excitement took him by surprise, everyone else who walked through the door didn’t care about the cool shit he brought with him – just the differences between them; his age, the sexuality he refused to hide – his academic abilities, even.

Not Peter, though – he went on to explain that he was getting a degree in Electrical Engineering and didn’t get to have some of the newer appliances growing up. It was weird, to see someone so excited about the nerdy stuff Tony liked, too. They heartily discussed the best way to get both the Xbox and PlayStation set up through the tv without bogging down the cable setup already existing in the room. 

By the time they were both happy with how Peter’s things mixed into the fixtures of the room, Tony figured he was already head over heels for the guy – for the first time in his life, someone took him at face value and didn’t hate what they saw.

----

The rest of the year with Peter went by seamlessly. During the spring semester, they planned to have a class together, both of them still needing to take some of the basic engineering classes. There wouldn’t be a lot of cross over later in their degrees, so they took advantage. It was different, having someone he could rely on sitting in class next to him, and then being there at home later on, too. Tony never got to experience the sort of camaraderie that Peter so freely gave to him.

Mornings were filled with the two of them trying to make breakfast on the little hot plate Peter brought from home. It was always an adventure, trying to get everything cooked all the way through and evenly – at least, Tony enjoyed watching Peter puzzle it all together. Their day started together and as the time passed, it ended together, too. Peter liked to spend time in their shared space, so Tony found excuses to be out there, too.

Tony found himself seeking out Peter’s company all the time, if he were being honest. Peter was the most interesting person – he didn’t care about the normal things; he wanted to learn and explore, he wanted to see what the world had to offer. Best of all, he seemed to want to include Tony in the things he wanted to know more about.

A couple of months into their second semester living together, Tony looked up to find Peter staring at him. “What’s your middle name?” Peter asked, a smirk slipping across his lips. “Are you an Anthony, or just Tony?”

Putting his pen down in the book he’d been reading to keep his place, Tony shifted a bit and gave Peter his full attention. “My full name is Anthony Edward Stark. No one but my mom calls me Anthony, though.” Tony tried to keep the blush he couldn’t help under cover, but his ears were warm – there was no escaping it. “What about you? Are you a junior, or something?”

The exchange went on a for a while, Peter talking a bit about his family in Queens and the Brainiac’s team he left behind when he graduated and came to Cambridge. Tony soaked up the information and attempted to be open about pieces of himself, too – he talked about his dad and the weird relationship they had and about Dum-E and the never-ending tweaks and adjustments he made to better him.

It was a little easier after that conversation, both of them felt a little more comfortable and for Tony, he felt closer to Peter than any other person in his life. He hoped it wasn’t obvious, how much Peter meant to him. There were stars in his eyes constantly – so he kind of doubted it.

Even his mom noticed how things shifted for him – he wasn’t his normally surly self when he went home over spring break. Maria looked at him with a weird smile – Tony didn’t think he’d ever seen the look on her face before. “School okay, Tony?” she questioned, her hands brushing through the hair by his ear. He figured she missed the little kid he used to be – he would sit for hours and let her pet him like that back then.

Grinning, Tony nodded – his teenage hormones making it hard to keep himself calm, cool, and collected. “Yes, it’s okay. I’m doing well and really enjoying Differential Equations this semester.” He kept his answer brief, his inability to talk to her still in place despite the weightless feeling that accompanied him. “I’m thinking about picking up a class in the summer and sticking around.”

He didn’t tell her that Peter was involved in a work study program and would need to be on campus all summer working. It seemed silly to give up his bedroom in the place that was now his home simply because summer came around. 

Tony didn’t want to miss a single second of time he could be around Peter – no matter how weirdly pathetic that probably was. Later, when he left the kitchen and headed towards his room, Tony missed the smile his mom beamed his way.

Their end of the semester project was due a couple of weeks after they got back from spring break, so Tony and Peter spent a lot of time together when they got back from visiting their respective families. It was a little like the time away from each other strengthened the need for the bond between them. Peter spent more time in the dorm and when he couldn’t be there, Tony pestered him at work, the help desk more than familiar with him after all the time he spent there.

The closer they got; the more Tony wondered if Peter felt the same way that he did. Tony knew he was still young, his 18th birthday creeping slowly toward him. There were tons of great looking people on campus, people that were closer to Peter’s age – but he hoped, he crossed his fingers and looked up in search of a person he didn’t believe in just to send up a little wish into the atmosphere.

Tony tried to gage things between them a couple of weeks before the end of the semester – he wanted the summer to go off without a hitch and knew his useless pinning would be more of a burden than anything if he didn’t at least try and find out if he stood any chances. He wasn’t completely sure of how he’d try to fish out the truth, but he needed to – the probable thought of exploding crossing his mind frequently.

A perfect opportunity presented itself when Peter came home a little tipsy from a party that Friday night, his face split into a loose smile, eyes shining with the blaze of alcohol and something simmering just below the surface. Tony paused the round of Tekken he’d been playing, his hand patting the cushion next to him. “Have a good night?” Tony asked curiously, his lips slipping into a smile when Peter threw himself carelessly down onto the couch. Their shoulders brushed, that little bit of contact sending a torrent of happiness through him.

“I definitely drank enough to make it feel like it was a good night,” Peter replied, the alcohol letting the words fall easily from loose lips. “MJ brought 151 in a little flask – it doesn’t taste like shoe cleaner, so it was easy to drink a little bit too much.” He smiled and leaned further into Tony’s side. “Glad to be back, though.”

A nose brushed the side of his neck, Tony holding his breath to stop the gasp that tried to escape from the confines of his chest. He put the controller down on the arm of the couch and sat more fully on the couch – his arm going around the back of it. “I’m glad that you’re back, too,” Tony admitted, his hand moving inch by inch until his fingertips were just barely fumbling with the sleeve of Peter’s black t-shirt.

“What are you doing, Tony?” Peter asked from his place against Tony’s shoulder, his breath tickling his skin, the sensation distracting. He drew his bottom lip between his teeth and absorbed he warmth while he could – Peter nestled in the space Tony wanted him the most might never happen again.

“I – don’t know. I – “ Tony started to speak, but the common problem of getting a little tongue-tied around Peter coming back with a vengeance. “I think I was trying to put my arm around you.” He felt his face flush even further – his cheeks and ears the same colors as Peter’s without the influence of alcohol and its properties.

While he didn’t actually move away, Tony felt Peter stiffen. Sucking in a hurt breath, Tony froze, too – he must’ve read the room wrong. “Oh,” he heard Peter say, the word muffled by Tony’s skin still. He gulped, then extracted himself from the tangle of longer arms and warm skin – his eyes already starting to burn with tears he wouldn’t be able to control for much long.

“Sorry – I didn’t, I mean. I – sorry, Pete.” Tony babbled, the inability to speak in full sentences hitting him double time now that embarrassment coated the nervousness that threatened to overcome him. How stupid could he be? Turning before he could embarrass himself further, Tony made a quick beeline to his room and shut the door. He slumped back against it, sliding down to the floor.

----

Tony avoided Peter as much as he could leading up to the end of the semester, and subsequently, Tony’s birthday. He’d already made the commitment to stay over the summer, and he steeled himself for the awkwardness that would more than likely settle between them. The soft ‘oh’ Peter mumbled that night still played in his mind – his voice just as confused as the rigid posture of his body.

Either way, he needed to find a way to get over it – Peter was the best roommate he ever had, and he still had at least one more year of school to get through. It felt good to finish a semester and he did his best to focus on that instead of the weird ache in his chest. No wonder so many people were so wrecked by the love thing – when it didn’t work out, it hurt like an absolute bitch.

The two weeks before finals and Tony’s birthday followed much of the same pattern – Tony stayed in his room until he couldn’t stop the rumble in his stomach; he did his best to time his ventures into the shared space of the dorm when he thought Peter wouldn’t be there. It was easier to just ignore the situation and hope it past.

His birthday rolled around without much fanfare – he was glad to be 18 and didn’t need the huge party his parents wanted to throw him. They were never about him, anyway. Tony figured he’d spend the day watching the TV in his room and making his way through the couple different cartons of ice cream he put in the freezer the day before.

A knock on the door around 10AM had him muting the TV to answer it, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw Peter on the other side of the door. “Hey. Happy Birthday, Tony,” Peter started, the card in his hand being thrust forward into Tony’s chest without much finesse. The hand he could feel against him shook; Peter obviously nervous for some reason.

“Actually – that’s not why I’m here. I thought maybe you’d be more willing to open the door when there was something to celebrate.” Peter shrugged, his legs crossing in front of him. “Tony, that night – I wasn’t… upset, or anything. About what you said. I was surprised. I didn’t have any idea that you felt like that. It was a shock – I’d been crushing on you for months at that point and there you were, adorably trying to put your arm around me. You were gone before the ability to think started to work again.”

He reached out and traced Tony’s cheekbone with a soft finger, the caress barely there. “I like you, Tony – I want you to like me, too.” The fingers trailed along Tony’s soft skin and into his hair, the entirety of his hand palming the back of his neck when it got there. “And I think you do.”

“I do, Pete. I do. I really, really do.” Tony let both of his hands drift to the bare skin of Peter’s forearm, his fingers gripping the grounding warmth there. “Will you kiss me?” Tony asked the question so sweetly, the blazing in his eyes a sharp contrast

Peter used his lips to answer, the hand on the back of his head pulling Tony close enough to press their lips together. A gasp left Tony’s lips, the touch like an electric shock. In an attempt to keep his feet on the ground, Tony fisted Peter’s shirt in his hands, the move bringing them closer still.

The need for air had them pulling apart, Tony’s eyes opening wide to take in the look on Peter’s face – he figured the loopy smile there mirrored the happiness etched into his own cheeks.

“Want to go out with me, Tony?” Peter mumbled, his face breaking into a beaming smile.

Laughing, Tony used the grip on Peter’s shirt to pull him back in for a chaste kiss, his entire being thrumming with life.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

[buckybarnesbingo]

The second game of 3 Prompt Summaries!

Here’s the example rounds, and the rest are under the cut!

Prompts by @rebelmeg - blanket, "don't touch that", roommates

Summary by @psychiccatpanda - Generally speaking,  Bucky really loved having Tony as a roommate.  He liked to have fun, enjoyed movies, shared some musical tastes, you know - important things.

One of the drawbacks, though, was walking into one of Tony's experiments.  They'd had the fire department out more than once... in the last month.  As he walked in, there was no sign of his roommate - just a large blanket-covered lump in the middle of the living room.  When Bucky started to lift the corner to peek at the project underneath, Tony shouted, "Don't touch that!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - blanket, "don't touch that", roommates

Summary by @writing-mermaid - The blanket is lying in the middle of the couch. "Don't touch that !", Saskia yells at Winnie and Morgan. Sam sighs, how his daughter, Bucky's and Tony's will be roommates for three days, if they are already fighting over a blanket ? Sam, alone with a bunch of 5 years old, will have to figure this out all by himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - red, angst, safehouse

Summary by @dreaminglypeach - The door to the safe house is unlocked when they get there. It’s unlocked, open, and there’s blood everywhere. Bucky tries very hard not to panic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@psychiccatpanda - "Oops."

@blurockets - Winterwidow

@writing-mermaid - "It was an accident"

Summary by @magicadraconia16 - When your partner is the famous Black Widow, the very last thing you want to hear in the middle of a black op is "Oops". Closely followed by an uncharacteristically sheepish, "It was an accident." He should have picked Clint after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @psychiccatpanda - Sam Wilson, Red Thread of Fate, and "Oops."

Summary by @rebelmeg - "Oops." Bucky muttered the fateful word a split second before alarms started going off, prompting Sam to whirl around in disbelief. "Did you seriously just trip the lasers?" "I'm sorry! I don't have the fancy birdbrain goggles like you do." "YOU CAN SEE THEM WITHOUT GOGGLES, BUCKY, THEY'RE NOT INVISIBLE RED THREADS OF FATE OR SOMETHING!" Okay, so their sneaky infiltration was ruined now. Here's hoping their extraction plan will still be intact by the time they finish their mission.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - Blanket, "Don't Touch That", Room mates 

Summary by @blurockets - "Touch that and you lose vital fingers," a tired voice said from the depths of the couch. Clint stared back at the knit blanket that was draped from the recliner he wasn't even using. When you’re trying to build a blanket fort with your niece and nephew on the compound while it was a mass space mission you had to get creative if you didn’t want to break locks. Or Where the former Winter Soldier has a blanket and Clint is stuck rooming with him and has questions about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - Angst

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo  - There was a saying he had heard somewhere, he wasn't sure where, not that it mattered now, anyways, but one he thought fitting: "The sound of silence is the loudest sound of all". It felt fitting, stuck in this miserable place, for god knows how long, waiting to be rescued. there was no sound here, in the soul stone. and the other dusted couldn't speak either. just... silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg​ - red, angst, safehouse 

Summary by @writing-mermaid - Red, this is red, red and thick. And he doesn't know if they'll have time to reach the safehouse. And the more he's waiting, the more her blood flows on the ground. But will they make it safe, especially with all those HYDRA guards on the way. But he must past through them, it's a matter of life and death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @magicadraconia16 - "Hand on heart, I will kill you", T'Challa, kitten

Summary by @rebelmeg​ -  "Heeeeere kitty kitty kitty," Bucky whispered to himself, peeking out through the slat in the vent, lying in wait for his prey. Unfortunately for Bucky... T'Challa was finding the cat jokes less and less funny. Bucky had about three seconds worth of a head start when T'Challa looked him right in the eye through the wall vent, and said in a dangerous tone, "Hand on heart, I will kill you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@dreaminglypeach​ - Race Cars

@writing-mermaid - Tony

@psychiccatpanda - Sam Wilson 

Summary by LLightz - Tony's idea of "team bonding" this month was to hire everyone a top of the range sports car and act out some street racing movie Steve had never seen but everyone seemed very excited out... especially Bucky who always had a thing for speed, and well, Steve wasn't going to deny him, plus Natasha was already throwing down challenges, and Clint was always up for any crazy stunt... So, it came as no surprise when the 2 ex-Russian-assassins and a man who regularly failed to use parachutes ended up practically playing chicken with cars that were definitely not legal, and even then ... "how do I make this car go faster Tony????? came Bucky's shout into his headset... yep, someone was definitely gonna get hurt! Flying overhead and easily keeping pace, Sam was filming every moment...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg​ - Red

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo - Red. a color that covered his hands and his past, a ledger full of that scarlett color that haunted his nightmares and his waking hours. when an oppurtunity comes to change the red from ever staining his fingers, will he take it?

OR

Bucky Barnes has a really shitty century -- but it's starting to look a little brighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @psychiccatpanda - Red Thread of Fate:

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo - the moment HYDRA found out about his thread, they were determined to snip it. too bad for them that it was tied to a man whose serum enhanced the strength of everything, down to that thread.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@blurockets - Lake House AU

@dreaminglypeach​ - Wanda

Angst_BuriTTo - "It's ok, It's my time."

Summary by @magicadraconia16 - He thought he'd been stood up. And he had to admit, two years was a long time for her to catch up to him. But instead, oh, instead, that terrible accident that had finally burnt him out... that had been her. He tried to tell her, to warn her, to demand that she actually stand him up, but her only response was, "If it's my time, then that's okay." No, it was NOT okay!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

Angst_BuriTTo - FBI AU

@dreaminglypeach​ - Wanda

@psychiccatpanda - oops 

Summary by @blurockets - "So your definition of messing with probability is asking the universe what if this happened and you make it happen?" Agent Barnes asked as he sat beside a woman in a red outfit that would not be remiss on a stage in Las Vegas. "And my powers make it happen" She corrected "And the iron man suit just happening to crash on top of the ferrari?" Bucky asked pinching the bridge of his nose wondering just how he was going to file this report. "Oops?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @your-ginger-angel​ - Historical AU

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo - Pharaoh Buchanan was known throughout Egypt for his kindness and his generosity, but also for his fierce skills in battle. When an Assassin is sent to kill him, his subjects are surprised that instead of disposing of the small blond would be assassin, he takes him to his bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@dreaminglypeach​ - Wanda

@writing-mermaid - "It was an accident" "What ? You just tripped and fell on his lips ?" 

@psychiccatpanda - Sam Wilson 

Summary by @writing-mermaid - "I'm telling you, it was an accident !"

 Wanda runs behind her brother. "What ?"

 Pietro answers, "You just tripped and fell on his lips ?" 

At those words, and without knowing about who they were talking about, Sam Wilson bursts out laughing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@rebelmeg - Angst

@psychiccatpanda oops

@writing-mermaid - Tony

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo - "oops." that's all that Thanos said when he dropped the lifeless body of Steve Rogers to the ground of Wakanda. Tony could do nothing but stare in disbelief -- he never got to apoligize. he never got to have that talk. he never got to get to know this new, harder Steve Rogers. he felt just as broken as the neck of the man staring sightlessly into the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts - FBI AU, vacation, "it was an accident" 

Summary by @your-ginger-angel​ - When Steve agreed to this vacation, it was with the understanding that Bucky would be putting his FBI badge in a drawer and leaving his work phone at home. He made Bucky swear that they were going to keep work at home this time. But when Bucky comes back from the corner store and the local cops are in tow, he knows that there's no way Bucky can keep out of trouble. "What do you mean you managed to catch a drug dealer just by going for soda?" Steve whispers, trying to keep himself from blowing up in front of the cops. "It was an accident?" Bucky replies with a pleading look in his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@rebelmeg - Safehouse, red, angst

@magicadraconia16 - Kitten, "Hand on Heart, I will kill You" 

Summary by LLightz - Bucky could barely see through the red mist of anger in his head, but he could still hear the soft pained meaows coming from behind the restaurant, and he made his way towards the tiny kitten he'd spotted, injured and hiding under a dirty tossed-out rag... Scooping him up into his big warm hand, he hoped he never came across whomever had hurt his defenceless little creature because "Hand on Heart, I'll Kill You" he muttered out loud. Cradling his new friend to his chest he made his way back to the safehouse...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @your-ginger-angel​ -  Historical AU 

Summary by @writing-mermaid - (ancient Greece au) Y/N is a priestess, sold by her parents at a young age. She's born to serve the God Apollo. Bucky is a soldier, and he's send to Apollo's temple after a war the king he serves won. Since the beginning, Y/N and Bucky aren't getting along, but they will have to, because here he is and here he'll stay, following his king's orders. But the more they spend time together, the more they are longing and pining for each other, craving for each other's touch, despite their hate. With one question in their mind, must they do war to please each other, make love and stay quite or silence their difference ? (and the thing is that the question in question comes from a French song from a musical and I was keeping it in French as the title haha)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @writing-mermaid - "It was an accident" "What ? You just tripped and fell on his lips ?", Big bro, Tony

Summary by @dreaminglypeach​ - Warning for abusive relationship ”I didn’t mean to,” Tony says. “It was- it was an accident.” Rhodey scoffs, folding his arms as he stares at the dumb kid who has metaphorically glommed onto him and doesn’t seem inclined to let go anytime soon. “Right,” he says flatly. “You just tripped and fell onto his lips. Sure, that happens to me all the time.” “It wasn’t like that!” Tony looks almost too pathetic for Rhodey to continue berating him, his left eye puffy and ugly, purple fading to blotchy green around the edges. “It just- Ty apologised, he didn’t mean to, Rhodey, it won’t happen aga-” “Tony,” Rhodey interrupts, as calmly as he can. “Tones, no. You gotta break up with him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg​ - bot fic, "catch", ceiling

Summary by @themadhalewrites - After Tony had lost mini robot Bucky to a ceiling fan he created humanoid robot bucky who develops feelings for his creator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @magicadraconia16 - Rhodey, cuddling, cheeseburgers 

Summary by @rebelmeg​ - It wasn't the WEIRDEST thing Bucky had ever seen. Though it was kinda up there. Seeing Tony and Rhodey in the armors, it definitely gave off a BAMF sort of vibe. Like you definitely didn't wanna mess with them, like, ever. But when Bucky happens upon them in the communal living room one night, curled up on the couch and sharing a blanket while they eat their way through a big takeout bag of cheeseburgers... he starts to reevaluate his thinking. Especially when they offer to share their blanket and burgers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

Angst_BuriTTo - SPN AU

@your-ginger-angel​ - Christmas

@magicadraconia16 - Rhodey 

Summary by @blurockets - It's the road trip from hell where Rhodey and Bucky on the way to a Christmas wedding. Run over a demon and have to deal with possession, learning the supernatural is real and have to still try to reach their best friends wedding in time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by LLightz - on fire, rivals, forgotten 

Summary by @rebelmeg​ - "I can't believe you set me on fire!"

"THERE ARE NO FRIENDS IN GAMING!" 

In which Bucky gets really into gaming, is a terrible team player, and occasionally forgets to eat or respect basic hygiene.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@rebelmeg​ - bot fic

Llightz - on fire

@your-ginger-angel​ - Christmas

Summary by @magicadraconia16 - He usually spent the latter half of December getting blackout drunk to forget... well, to forget. This year, however, he'd promised to stay on the wagon and had locked himself in his lab to keep that promise. Trying to roast chestnuts over a bunsen burner didn't really work, though. Especially with DUM-E on fire watch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts - SPN AU, cuddling, ceiling 

Summary by @your-ginger-angel​ - Steve as Dean and Bucky as Cas. "It was horrible, Bucky," Steve whispered as he buried his face in Bucky's neck. "I haven't had this dream in years, but there she was, on the ceiling and burning." "Steve," Bucky cradled Steve in his arms and swore he would keep this man safe. "I'm sorry I couldn't save your mother and I'm sorry I couldn't save you." "But you did, Bucky," Steve replied as he looked up into Bucky's eyes. This angel had done everything for him and what had Steve done to thank him? Nothing, that's what. Well that would change, starting today. Steve wasn't much of a cuddler, but this felt so good that he's pretty sure that he can't go back to the way things were before. And it seems that Bucky doesn't want to either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@themadhalewrites - Murder

@writing-mermaid - "he's my friend" 

LLightz - Forgotten

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo - "He's my friend". those words rang through his mine, no matter how many times he tried to forget them and move on. 

It had been 6 months since that fateful day, and Tony had done a lot of thinking, some soul searching, and had, recently, come to one conclusion: He had attempted to murder Bucky Barnes. He had tried to do the same thing to Barnes what HYDRA had forced the poor bastard to do to his parents. He had dropped the charges a week ago against Barnes and Rogers -- they were acting in self defense after all. sure, Steve could have told him about his parents-- but Tony knew Steve enough that the blond had probably not told him because he wanted to protect him from bringing up old demons. How many times had Tony complained to Steve that his father was a cold hearted drunk and his mother, while kind, wasn't around as much as she should have been? Steve had probably thought that bringing up those memories would reopen scares that had only barely healed. 

hence why the 'rogues' were back, and why tony was hiding in his workshop. 

he didn't know how to apologize. Rogers had already given him a heartfelt one, along with Barnes, and then Tony ran away after a stuttered acceptance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@writing-mermaid - Mermaid

@themadhalewrites​ - Stolen Organs

@rebelmeg -  "catch"

@your-ginger-angel​ - Farming AU 

Summary by LLightz - The catch of the day was the finest specimen they'd ever seen; not another mermaid but a mountain of a merman, not like the tiny useless weakling they currently held but finally a strong one that they could breed the others with so they could begin their organ harvesting operation...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @your-ginger-angel​ - Mechanic AU 

Summary by @writing-mermaid - A forest, in the middle of nowhere. Bucky's car refuses to start. He's waiting for a tow truck for an hour, when one finally stops near his car. "I've ask for a breakdown mechanic, not his girlfriend", he says at the girl going out of the truck, "I'm the breakdown mechanic", she answers, "but, if you want a man to take care of your car, you'll have to wait for more time", she adds, wiping a stain of grease of her nose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @themadhalewrites - Luna eclipse, murder, stolen organs

Summary by @dreaminglypeach​ - It’s a dark night when Bucky goes to let the dog out, the way it always is here when it clouds over. He likes it here, far from the city and all those vulnerable regular humans, but if the moon isn’t out, it’s goddamn dark here. Still, dark or not, Bucky is very much not expecting to trip over a body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

LLightz - rivals

@writing-mermaid - mermaid

@themadhalewrites​ - lunar eclipse

Summary by @writing-mermaid - The Lunar eclipse, that time of the year all mermaids are waiting for this to go on Earth. This year, two rivals, Natasha and Y/N, both of them fighting for the same man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@magicadraconia16 - Cheeseburgers, cuddling

@writing-mermaid​ - Europe

@themadhalewrites - Lunar Eclipse 

Summary by LLightz - As they sat watching the lunar eclipse with their friends, eating cheeseburgers and enjoying the companionable silence, they took advantage of the darkness to sidle further towards each other until their legs pressed tightly, sending each other looks and smiles hidden in the night that promised more of these soft moments in their future... He could imagine retiring somewhere in Europe, maybe Iceland, he always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis, and it had a small population... he could dream of cuddling out on the open grass under the stars without a care in the world... but for now, as the light flooded back to them, they moved an acceptable distance apart once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts - Ghost au, fluff, pancakes 

Summary by @your-ginger-angel​ - Bucky missed pancakes. As a ghost, he could smell, he could see, and sometimes he could even touch, but since he didn't need to eat, he couldn't taste anything that passed his lips. In fact, it just looked gross when he tried to eat. But Steve, the new guy renting Bucky's old apartment, was the sweetest ever because he took the time to describe exactly how his pancakes tasted. And if Bucky tried to catch a taste of those pancakes on Steve's lips despite the fact that he couldn't taste, well, Steve didn't have to know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @your-ginger-angel​ - domestic avengers, ocean, chef AU

Summary by @themadhalewrites - The team had brought a restaurant on the beach but the only two working were tony and bucky. Bucky had been trying to do knife tricks a knife slipped and now while the rest of the staff were playing in the ocean Tony was stitching up bucky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by Angst_BuriTTo - Once Upon a Time AU

Summary by @writing-mermaid - "Papa !", the little girl shouts looking at Bucky from head to toe. "Wha... What ?", the later says, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish out of his bowl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by LLightz  - Identity Porn, wrong door, pancakes

Summary by @dreaminglypeach​ - Bucky is tired, hungry, and fucking fed up of trying to find the place he’s supposed to be meeting Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. He gets that they’re young and use the google for absolutely everything, but that is no excuse for giving him such craptacular directions. He finally thinks he’s got the right place, but the teenage boy who opens the door with a plate of pancakes in his hand looks unaccountably surprised to see him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @themadhalewrites - Pregnancy 

Summary by @writing-mermaid - “Penny for your thoughts”, Steve says, coming silently behind me. “I’m pregnant, Steve”, I say, still looking outside. “Is it Bucky’s ?”, he questions. “Of course, it’s Bucky’s, who else would it be ?”, I shout, turning to him, rushing out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@your-ginger-angel​ - Chef AU

@themadhalewrites - New Love 

@rebelmeg - Fluff 

Summary by @blurockets - (stuckony) Watching Tony argue with the new food prep robots he was fiddling with trying to make Bucky's life easier while they were still fiddling with his arm had to be one of the cutest things he'd ever seen. Watching Bucky throw a peeled clove of garlic into the processor with his good hand while he used 'The Beast' to hold the the wayward robot in place. Steve took a photo quickly trying to preserve the moment. He was going to draw it later. He was going to preserve it as best as he can. They were covered in flour and giggling and there was no where else he'd want to be. From being yelled at by one man to the other man invading his kitchen and fixing everything. This still was a whirlwind. It was amazing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by

@blurockets - Ghost AU

@your-ginger-angel​ - Ocean

@writing-mermaid - snow

Summary by Angst_BuriTTo - There was a legend, down by the ocean docks, that if you sailed in snowfall, that the Winter Siren would sing and drag your body to the ocean floor, and use your bones to make its nest. 

Steve Rogers didn't believe in such nonsense.

OR

"So, the legend is true."

"What gave it away -- the razor sharp teeth, or the tail?"

"In hindsight, it's 1932, and fairy tales are just that, TALES. I didn't expect that my mother's fairy-tale would be TRUE."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - Body Swap, Fluff, Heat 

Summary by LLightz - Bucky loved to cuddle up against the soft and ridiculously warm furry expanse of Steve's body, feeling completely safe wrapped up in his best friend as they licked each other clean before falling asleep. So when he woke up one morning, feeling oddly large and clumsy, with a small kitten under his paws that looked exactly like he used to, he was terrified... feeling terribly exposed in this new body, and why were his thoughts so muddled and slow?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - body swap, fluff, heat

Summary by @lbibliophile-mcu - The first thing Sam notices as the fog of sleep starts to clear, is the warmth. He usually prefers to keep the bedroom cool while sleeping - read somewhere that it helps convince the body to slow down and conserve energy. The second thing he notices, is the bed - and he is so glad that it is a bed, that drastically reduces the potential consequences for waking up somewhere unfamiliar. The mattress sinks under his weight, cradling him in a totally different way to his own firm bedding. Combined with the several fuzzy blankets and veritable mountain of pillows surrounding him, he is feeling more than a bit smothered. The third thing, he notices when he runs his hands over his face and finally blinks open his eyes. Because those hands... he squints at them blearily, waves them around a bit to make sure, then sighs and flops back. Two hands, one pale and one metal. Well, at least that explains why he is waking up in Bucky Barnes' bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @steverogersnotebook - Mutual pining 

Summary by @writing-mermaid - (2nd part of the ancient Greece AU) Bucky left a year ago, during this time, Y/N became the High Priestess of the Temple of Apollo. When he left, she told him she had desire for him but they couldn't give in to their passion. One year later, will the passion still be here and will they succumb to it despite the fact that physical love and desire is forbidden for a High Priestess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @rebelmeg - Body swap 

Summary by @writing-mermaid​ - Who never dreamed of living in the body of the opposite sex just for one day ? Not Y/N, anyway, and especially not when she finished in the body of an Avenger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by Angst_BuriTTo - Northern Lights, Russia, Once Upon A Time (TV Show) AU

Summary by @fightingforcreativity - The lights were beautiful. Natasha remembered faintly her father taking her up north. As north as Russia gets he had told her when she had asked where. They would sit, freezing and waiting until finally the night sky lit with northern lights. A beautiful arrangement of all colours, vivid and tangible in a way nothing else was. She was reminded about one of those rare childhood memories, when clint zapped through the channels from one station to the next until landing on the once upon a time. The show, despite not playing there, tugged at her memory. She felt like she knew, livid, the characters life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @blurockets - Winteriron, Ghost au, SCI FI au

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ - Tony was not afraid. He was not. Ghosts were a story for old folk and kids and there are no ghosts in his fucking home. Nope. Science told him differently. And Tony would know, as leading scientist on the Stark-Space-Ship 'The Winter Soldier'

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Prompts by @rebelmeg - body swap, fluff, heat

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ -  Hot. Hot hot. It was too damn hot for this to be his bed room. Why was it so hot? Tony blinked his eyes open, fearing to find himself in a cave. But instead he was in an opulent room. The bedsheet felt like silk and the ceiling looked like one of those in palasts and- "What the hell?!" Tony stared at his hand. At his black hand and then his brain caught up with the voice, which was not his!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @writing-mermaid - Phantom of the Opera AU, mutant, snow

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ - Snow used to be his favorite form of water. Bucky had loved to play in the snow. To have snowball fights with his sisters and if Steve was doing well with him too. He had adored snow. Then, something changed, he changed. Now all that snow did, was making him uglier, disposable, worthless. He hides away so that snow never touches his frame anymore. So that the snow won't burn anymore of him. The catacombs were his home now. One day though, the most beautiful voice he ever heard made him risk it all. He needed to know who that brunet opera singer was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @themadhalewrites - Pregnancy, new love, "not my baby"

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ - It was said that every woman would fall in love at least once in her life and then could never love another man like that anymore. Peggy strongly disagreed. She had felt love for Steve. She had felt love for her husband. But... the love she felt for the child growing in Maria Stark, the love she felt for this tiny baby which was not born yet, that was a love she wouldn't be able to feel again. "You're not my baby, darling, but I love you like your mine already." She whispered to the belly while Maria smiled softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by LLightz - Identity Porn, wrong door, pancakes

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ - Steve was not panicking. He was Captain America after all. He can't panic. Steve was just.... not expecting his neighbor to look so much like his ex-boyfriend. He was totally not expecting a James Buchanan Barnes look alike as a neighbor. When Steve had seen the man first, he nearly choked up and barricaded himself in his home, cooking the one meal he always had found comfort in, pancakes. The blond refused to acknowledge that he might be indeed panicking, when said neighbor broke in the following night, looking around confused and just mumbled, "Shit, I'm sorry. Wrong door. Gimme a call alter about the costs." and vanished again. He was god damn Captain America and he- ok. Fine Steve was panicking.

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Prompts by @steverogersnotebook - Mutual pining; stargazing; single parent

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ - Every night at 11 pm on the dot, the blond would step outside his tiny apartment and look up, hoping to see the stars he was used to. Every night at 11:05 pm, a brunet with his daughter would step on their balcony, (way bigger over in the better parts of the town) and would look in the sky hoping that the pain of losing his wife would one day stop. Every day at 11 am sharp, Steve Rogers would connect his business laptop to a meeting with his best friend and secret crush, Bucky Barnes. They would talk and they would argue and they would do business and then they shared something from their lives. Bucky shared stories of how Natasha was developing and Steve would listen and sometimes talk about that nice old lady from three doors down the floor. Neither man would ever say something, until they do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompts by @your-ginger-angel​ - domestic avengers, chef's Au, and Ocean

Summary by @fightingforcreativity​ - As a chef, Bucky prided himself to know where his ingredients came from. So when the family known as the Avengers asked for the best, Bucky was suggested and found himself in the position to cook for them. The brunet had always dreamed about cooking for those big names like Romanov and Stark and Rogers and Barton, but the things those heathens wanted to consume turned his stomach. So he took it as a challenge. He had the perfect recipe. He just needed to catch that rare fish from the coast of Hawaii, easy, right?

[bruciewayne]

ask him to ask you

stevetony, fluff, highschool au, mutual pining

Tony’s things clatter onto the table and Tony himself follows, practically collapsing opposite Steve.

They’re in the diner they’ve been going to for the past few years every Friday after school. Steve can’t tell if he hates that Bucky calls it date-night, or if he wishes that it was.

“PhD finally beat you?” Steve teases.

Tony glares at him, offended, “No.” He drinks his coffee as grumpily as he can until Steve asks him what’s wrong. Steve definitely shouldn’t find this as amusing as he does.

“What happened?”

“Turns out,” Tony starts, dropping his cup on the table and turning to Steve (occasionally, Steve gets a headrush from Tony’s full attention, the overwhelming intensity of it, all focused on him. Today is one of those times. Most days are, if he’s being honest.), “I’m not allowed to go to prom!”

Steve’s mouth is too full to answer properly, so he makes a suitably shocked face.

“Because my attendance is shit! Apparently I’ve been ‘classed as a student’ even though everyone knows I’m a TA and I’m in college half the week. AND they said it was all fine at the start of the year. But I guess not!”

Steve knows how much this means to Tony. Not prom specifically, just the whole ‘normal teenage experience’. And because of how important it is to Tony, and because he’s spent far too much of his life finding loopholes (which only got worse when he met Bucky in kindergarten and then Matt, in freshman year), he says quite possibly the worst thing he could to the guy he’s maybe, a little, (definitely, a lot) in love with.

“Be someone’s plus-one, no attendance rules against that,” he suggests, even as everything in his body and mind screams at him to shut up.

He tells himself that it’s worth it when Tony lights up and calls him a genius as he whips out his phone, fingers flying over the keypad.

“Bucky, help me--”

“Is it Tony related?”

“Maybe.”

Bucky sighs and nudges Steve with his foot until he hands him the popcorn bowl.

“Well,” he says, once he has his mouth full, “what stupid thing did you do?”

“Um. Well, you know how much Tony wanted to go to prom?”

“Sure.”

“The school said that he couldn’t ’cause of his attendance, so we found a loophole and long story short I told him to ask someone to prom,” Steve says, trying as hard as he can to not look at Bucky, because he knows that he has his ‘You’re so goddamn stupid’ face on.

“Someone who isn’t you?”

“Someone who isn’t me.”

Bucky’s silent for all of three seconds. “Why did you ask him to prom?”

“Oh yeah, why didn’t I ask him in a crowded diner and lose both my dignity and one of my best friends in the span of five seconds?” Steve says, sarcastically, throwing kernels at Bucky.

“Even if he did say no, he wouldn’t be a dick about it--”

“He’d think it was a joke,” Steve grumbles.

Bucky hums and concedes his point. “Yeah, but he wouldn’t be a dick about it.”

“Buck.”

“Steve.”

“He’s gonna find the love of his life and if not for prom, then probably at college, if he hasn’t already and it’s not gonna be me,” Steve says in a small voice, in a rush.

Bucky tugs him into a rough hug, saying more than he ever properly could.

“Buckaroo! Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Steve freezes when he hears that, just a couple feet in front of him and Sam crashes into him. His heart drops straight out of his chest when Tony drags Bucky out of the lunch line to the corner of the cafeteria, out of earshot of everyone.

“He’s not gonna ask him to prom,” Sam says, confidently.

“I know that,” Steve defends, even as he focuses on Not Looking at them.

“Bucky already has a date.”

Steve grins, despite himself, “Oh yeah?”

Sam smiles back, “Yeah.”

“About fucking time.”

Watching Sam and Bucky pine after each other in the absolute dumbest, most ridiculous way possible, in the way that only those two could, for at least the last two years (or maybe even longer), had been a small hell on his part, so he’s happy for them. Hopefully, it’ll mean that he’s no longer playing the middle man for them.

“I wasn’t stealing your man, just looking for advice,” Tony says when they rejoin the line.

“And you went to Buck?” Steve says, incredulously, masking the (stupid, dumb, irrational) hurt. He gets a punch in the arm and a glare for the trouble.

“I’ll have you know that I can be very advisable.”

“You once told me to taste different paint to see if the colour changed the flavour!”

Sam looks between the two of them, “You ate paint because you thought it was flavoured?”

“He told me to!” Steve accuses. In his defence, he had been curious.

Tony tries, and fails, to hide a laugh, “Now, Steven, if Bucky jumped off a bridge--”

“You’re spending far too much time with my mother,” Steve grumbles.

“No such thing,” Tony says, simply.

They get their food and Steve pushes anything to do with prom and Tony to the back of his mind in favour of poking fun at Sam and Bucky.

“-- I’ll make sure that he doesn’t suspect a thing, honey, yeah, okay, have a good day, sweetie.”

“Make sure who doesn’t suspect a thing?” Steve asks, dropping his bag on the floor and kicking off his shoes as his ma hangs up the phone.

“I thought I taught you better than to eavesdrop, and I know that I taught you better than to leave your shoes like that,” his ma says, pointing at his haphazardly thrown shoes, barely a foot away from the rack. Steve rolls his eyes but he goes to righten his shoes anyway.

His ma gives him a quick hug, “How was your day?”

Steve shrugs noncommittally, following her into the kitchen. “Eh. Nothing new, prom stuff, college stuff.”

“You wanna go?” She asks, turning on the oven and pulling a dish out of the fridge. Steve takes out plates and cutlery and starts to set the table.

“Prom? I don’t have anyone to ask.”

“What about Tony?” His ma asks, innocently.

“What-what about Tony?” Steve asks, matching her innocence, looking up from where he’s sitting.

“Steven.”

“Ma!”

“I’ve seen the way that boy looks at you, and the way you look at him.”

“I told him to take--”

“Someone else? Yeah, James told me about that.”

Steve groans and lets his head drop onto the table, “Does everyone report to you?”

“Only when you’ve forgotten your common sense.”

Steve resists the urge to bang his head on the table, just barely. His ma sets the timer and then comes to sit beside him.

“Steve.”

“Yeah.”

She brushes his hair back, “You two are gonna be fine, I promise.”

Steve lets out a long, high pitched whine, mostly muffled by the table.

Later, when he’s ready to go to sleep, he fiddles with a Rubic’s Revenge cube, twisting it so all the colours jumble together and then twisting it back to organisation.

--

“I don’t know how to fix it,” Tony, the boy who’s so much smarter than them all, the boy who can go head to head with highschool seniors, despite being half their height, says to him, handing him the cube, still all mixed up.

“You don’t fix it,” Steve replies, twisting the cube and swinging his legs, feet barely brushing the tarmac as Tony watches, enthralled. “You solve it, like a maths thing.” He shows him the side he just solved, red. His best record is one and a half sides, but his ma can do all the sides.

“Like a puzzle?”

“Game.”

“My father says that games are a waste of time,” Tony mumbles. 

Steve hands him the cube, rejumbled, “Tell him it’s one of those maths things.”

On his birthday, Tony gives him a new cube, a four-by-four one, called Rubic’s Revenge, because Steve told him to keep the other one. It took him until the summer to solve one side and then until he was in the fifth grade to do all.

--

“Hey, uh, Mrs. Rogers, Sarah, I’m just, um, calling, well, leaving a message, messaging? Anyway. Um, the stuff, for Steve, I have it, well, I still need to fix a, uh thing in the thing but it’ll be done by tomorrow, by Friday. And, uh, thanks, for all of this, really. Um, goodbye. Thank you.” 

Tony hangs up the phone and re-focusses on the cube in front of him, moving the magnifier above a tiny little mechanism. It’s an almost-replica of a Rubic’s Revenge, made of wood, when Steve solves it, it should open to show ‘Will you take me to prom?’. Keyword being should.

He solves it, of course he does, and then spends half the night convincing himself not to destroy it and tell Sarah that he made a mistake. Bucky told him that if he didn’t ask Steve to ask him to prom, he would do it for them himself. On the school intercom.

He spends the other half convincing himself not to down an entire bottle of Daniel’s. Sarah, Bucky, Steve and he himself would never be able to forgive him if he asked Steve out hungover. He doesn’t know if the fact that at least four people refuse to let him ask Steve out hungover is a blessing or a curse.

He works on the Riemann hypothesis until he can barely keep his eyes open.

The next day he’s half-awake in college. The professor tells him he’s happy to see him sober.

“PhD finally beat your ass?” Steve asks, pushing a muffin and a mocha towards him after he drops his many, many bags.

Tony takes half the muffin in his mouth, “You sound like Bucky,” he says, though it sounds more like ‘mmm mmmf mmf mmfmm’.

“I’ve sounded like Bucky for as long as you’ve known me,” Steve retorts, grinning at him over his hot chocolate.

Tony fakes a look of shock. “How have I just realised?” 

If this were a date, Steve would say something like ‘love makes you blind’, and Tony would maybe laugh and then lean over the table to kiss him and he’d smile. But it’s not. So he says, “‘Cause you’re an idiot,” instead.

If this were a date, Tony would say something like ‘your idiot’, and Steve would maybe laugh and then lean over the table to kiss him and he’d smile. But it’s not. Yet (hopefully, so damn hopefully), anyway. So he says, “Started a PhD before most people got their college acceptance letters,” instead.

“Selectively appearing brain cells,” Steve says.

Tony outright groans at that, “You’re lucky that Bruce isn’t here.”

“I don’t need biology to know that I’m right.”

“Sound like Bucky!”

“Arguably not a bad thing.”

Tony gives Steve a look. “I will survey everyone who’s ever had to come into contact with Barnes.”

“I’ll ask my ma.”

“Cheater.”

“He’s your best friend!” Steve says, in a sing-song voice.

“Rhodey might have a problem with that.”

Steve just shrugs and they lapse into a comfortable silence, drinking their drinks.

“I have something for you,” Tony says, suddenly, putting down his cup and rummaging around in one of his bags. He hands him the cube, hand shaking slightly.

Steve turns it in his hands. A wooden Rubic’s Revenge. “You made it?”

Tony nods, nervous. “Solve it.”

“Time?”

Tony nods again and looks at his watch. “Go.” He watches Steve’s hands fly over the cube, fast and gentle at the same time. “A minute-twenty,” he says, smiling back at Steve as he places the solved cube on the table, grandly. He’s exactly on par with his personal best, and the look on his face quells some of the nervousness Tony feels, just hoping that the little, tiny mechanism works.

The cube folds out into a long line of six squares. WILL YOU ASK ME TO PROM?

Steve smiles, so Tony takes that as a good sign, “Before I ask I gotta know, is it because you want to go to prom or ’cause you like me ‘cause--”

“I’ve liked you since you told me to lie to my father, and I’ve probably loved you since you gave me that damn Rubic’s cube and I’ve known that I love you since you punched Beck in fifth grade.”

Steve stares at him, “Will you go to prom with me?”

“I’d love to.”

Steve does what he’s wanted to do for the past few years they’ve been going to this cafe and lunges across the table to kiss him. It’s a little awkward, and he thinks that he hears Angie, who runs the cafe, yell finally!, but honestly, he’s not paying much attention to anything or anyone who’s not Tony.

“I, uh, love you too, have done for too long to remember what’s it like not to, to be honest,” Steve says, when they pull away.

Tony drags him back into another, then another and again and again until Steve’s lightheaded in the best way possible.

(Three years later, after his graduation, Steve hands him a wooden three-by-three. When Tony solves it, it springs open and there’s a shining, silver-coloured key.)

((And two years after that, Tony gives him a two-by-two cube, and when Steve solves it, and when it creaks open, there’s a ring, gleaming. He says yes.))

-

for ‘promposal’ on happy steve bingo

[ad1thi]

hey baby (won’t you look my way)

welcome back to my greek gods au! part 1 can be found here, and i hope you enjoy part 2

//

s/o to: @lovingtony3000, @kimannhart, @oddone92, @sleepyoldchild, @riotfalling and @thefluffyboi who donated enough so that i could reach my goal, and therefore yall are getting this!!

//

this part is set very slightly ahead of the last part, and bucky and tony are already in Hel

--

Hel, to Bucky’s surprise, is not the murky and dark place his father always painted it to be 

In fact, its buzzing with life- brimming with possibilities and excitement

It makes Olympus look incredibly dull in comparison

“When Rhodey took over,” Tony explained to him one night over coffee, close enough that Bucky could smell the faint vanilla on his breath but still at the careful distance he’d maintained since that awful day when Bucky had stuffed his foot in his mouth, “he decided he wanted to give them another chance”

“Humans that is,” he elaborates, “you see- Rhodey isn’t like me and you”

Bucky cocked his head, looking at his husband curiously, “what do you mean- not like me and you?”

“Me and you,” Tony said, “we were born Gods. We don’t really know anything else. We’ve always been gods”

Bucky nodded for Tony to continue, “But Rhodey wasn’t. Rhodey was born demi; and after Father killed the first Hades in that massive war that we were still godlings for, he needed a replacement for the king of Hel”

“And so he chose James,” Bucky surmised, and Tony smiled at him

“Exactly. It’s why Rhodey’s skin is so dark too, because he isn’t off the same blood of ours. He’s the offspring of a mistake Mom made when she was visiting Egypt with Alexander, and Father stuffed him in Hel as punishment”

“But really,” Tony leaned in conspiratorially and Bucky valiantly fought the desire to inhale his scent, “making Rhodey the God of Hel is the best thing that ever happened to him?”

Tony had a smug look on his face, “because otherwise he would’ve never met me”

Tony cackled at his own joke, and Bucky wondered how he never realised just how beautiful his husband was

Of course, that didn’t mean he was the only one oblivious to Tony’s looks and charms

Their entire week in Hel, Bucky’s slowly let his health build up as spirits flit in and out of the palace; fluttering their eyes and leaning forward ever so slightly when they talk to Tony

Tony is of course, oblivious to the whole thing- but its clear that he thrives off the attention; basking in it

Not in the pompous way Steve revels in mortal prayers during war time, but in a more subtle way- as if Tony isn’t used to affection and now that its being sent his way he isn’t sure how to react to it

Bucky is spending time with his husband for the first time in 1000 years of marriage, and he’s rapidly realising that ignoring Tony may have been the worst mistake of his life

--

“Aphrodite,” says a voice behind Bucky, and he turns to face Sam- and his mouth stretches out like a loon, “what brings you to my humble abode?”

“I’ve known you since you had grassy knees birdbrain, there’s no need for this ‘Aphrodite’ bullshit,” and Sam laughs, spreads his arms around to embrace Bucky properly

“I didn’t realise that you’d convinced the King of the Underworld to shackle up with you,” Bucky says, swinging his arm around his old friend, “how’d you manage that?”

“He was the only one who understood me,” Sam says simply, before grinning impishly and turning, “plus my tush is out of this world”

Bucky swats at him, “god you haven’t changed at all,” he nods over at where Rhodey and Tony are involved with each other, “he treating you right?”

Bucky tries to hide the jealousy out of his voice; he really does- but from Sam’s knowing look, he fails

“I took time too,” Sam says, deliberately nonchalantly, because Bucky may not have Steve’s temper but an angry Bucky was a force to be reckoned with, “to get used to their whole thing”

He gestures vaguely to Tony; who is currently sprawled over Rhodey’s lap and flicking his chin intermittently to feed him grapes

Jealousy isn’t an emotion Bucky’s felt in a really long time, but he remembers that it felt just like this

“I was his husband, and Tony was just a friend,” Sam continues, oblivious to Bucky’s turmoil- or maybe aware and uncaring anyway, “but Tony would come over and hang onto him like a limpet. It drove me crazy, because those were privileges reserved for me”

Bucky nods without thinking; flushing when Sam chuckles, “but after some time- I got it. Tony was the first person to treat him normally; like he wasn’t an abomination for being demi- and Rhodey was the first person to treat Tony like a God; instead of a sex toy”

He thinks of all the things he’s heard about his husband over the years; the reason why he chose not to ever consummate their marriage; and he can see why Tony’s so comfortable around the God of Hel

“So him and Rhodey never-” Bucky doesn’t know why he’s asking; it’ll just take a couple of seconds for him to find out himself- but he wants to hear it from someone else

“Oh no they did,” Sam says; and Bucky can feel his guts twisting, “they fucked a lot over the years. But not since me and Rhodey got married. Never since then”

“I think,” Sam says delicately, “that it was a source of comfort for them. The kind of intimacy that only sex can provide”

“There was no shortage of Gods willing to sleep with Tony,” Bucky says before he can stop himself; grimacing at how the words come out

“I just meant -” Bucky backtracks; but Sam lifts a hand to hush him

“I know what you meant Bucky,” Sam says coolly- and Bucky wonders if Rhodey is the only one with a soft stop for his husband, “but there’e something different when you lay with someone you love, with someone who loves you back in equal measure”

“And besides, if Rhodey is to be believed- and he rarely lies about this sort of thing; Tony hasn’t taken a single lover since he married you”

Rhodey lifts his head up to call Sam just as the words sink in; and Bucky runs away before he can be called over too

On the other side of the hall; Rhodey curls an arm around his bestfriend, and pulls him in tight; turning him away from the sight of his husband leaving

--

“My lord,” Tony turns to see his husband; arm still wrapped in a sling

Tony smiles at him, setting down the gizmo in his hand to give Bucky his full attention

“I thought we already discussed that you can just call me Tony,” he says- and Bucky flushes

“I wasn’t sure if that offer still held true,” Bucky says softly- and Tony absently wonders when he’ll stop hurting

“I’m told that arguments are common in a marriage,” Tony says instead of spilling his heart out, “but you are always free to call me Tony”

He motions at the stump, “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for your hand. If I had some metal and ambrosia on hand maybe- but I’m afraid Rhodey keeps neither handy”

Bucky waves him off, “I’ll be okay, really”

“I’m sure Clint will have something I’m not too worried about it,” his face turns hesitant, “which is what I actually wanted to speak to you about. It’s not that I’m not enjoying Hel- but I was just wondering when we would be leaving back to Olympus?”

Tony feels like he’s been stabbed

He thought he was making progress with Bucky, real, actual progress; but of course Bucky was interested in going back to Olympus; its where the man he wished he’d married was 

Despite everything Steve had done, despite the fact that Steve’s son was responsible for Bucky losing his arm- Bucky still wanted to go back to him

Thats what true love was after all

He schools his face into pleasant features, “there are a couple of upgrades that I have to do for the ship; and then we should be good to go”

There’s a furrow on Bucky’s brow; which Tony has learnt means that he has questions, but Tony doesn’t want to hear them- so he leaves

--

Bucky watches Tony go, and wanders how ill advised it would be to chase after him

“It’s a bad idea,” someone answers behind him, and Bucky turns to see Rhodey

“James Rhodes,” he says- extending an arm that Bucky shakes, “I don’t think we’ve met yet”

“You kept your mortal name,” Bucky blurts out- instantly biting his tongue, “I mean, its a pleasure to meet you my lord”

Rhodey raises an amused eyebrow, “Rhodey is just fine; you are married to my bestfriend after all- and you’ll find I have his distaste for formality.”

He rubs the back of his neck, “He’s spent most of our time together training my formality out of me too; but it hasn’t quite stuck yet”

“Tell me Aphrodite,” there’s a glint in Rhodey’s eyes that makes Bucky want to take a step back; but he holds his ground anyway, “how is your time with Tony going?”

“He’s...” Bucky searches for the right word, “confusing. I upset him without quite knowing how I’ve upset him; and everytime I think I’m making progress with him,  he shuts down. I’ve never found courting quite this hard”

“Is that what you’re trying to do?” Rhodey asks- but there doesn’t seem to be any malice behind the question, “court him?”

Bucky shrugs helplessly, “I know I’ve wronged him in our marriage, and I have no excuse except that I was in love with another man. But Steve wasn’t the one to come and save me, Tony was- and that means something to me. I’m not cold-hearted, and I’m not flighty.”

“Tony is,” Bucky licks his lips, “Tony isn’t what I expected. And thats my fault because I never tried. I know that. I just hope it counts for something that I’m trying now”

Rhodey hums, “You’re the goddess of love Aphrodite, I don’t have to be the one to tell you that love can be dangerous. But, for your sake, and mine- allow me to remind you that I do have love for Tony; and my love makes me a very dangerous man”

Bucky isn’t sure how to answer that, or even if there is an appropriate answer for that; so he simply nods

It seems to be enough, because Rhodey slings his arm around his shoulder like they’re old buddies and starts walking with him, “so tell me- what’s your favourite thing about Hel?”

Tony he thinks, but what comes out of his mouth is “the hellhounds”

Rhodey throws his head back and laughs, eyes twinkling, “I think you and I will get on just fine”

Fin

//

tagging list (im sorry if i missed anyone): @icarustarks, @wecollectnightmares, @imposter-human, @goldenmoonbeam, @crazy4thewinbros, @error-name-not-in-this-dimension, @slashupmylife, @bonniepacheco, @lionheartwithnoking, @moon6shadow, @mrunaliniraman, @starkwannabe @wintersoldierland, @theavengays, @nightwingingthis, @bonniepacheco, @lionheartwithnoking, @mbakusbae, @invisibleanonymousmonsters, @firebrands, @omg-just-peachy, @starkrogerrs, @spiderrpcrker,  @marvelmalady, @amessoffeels, @afellowstargazingdreamer, @sweet-cherry-boy, @aboreal-elm-ash-oak, @tinystankdefensesquad, @lovelyirony,@s-horne, @sleepyoldchild, @winteriron-trash, @shetlandowl (im sorry if i missed anyone!)

[stattic-writes]

Settle

https://statticscribbles.tumblr.com/post/639099629845233664/masterlist

Support My Writing?

[timeisacephalopod]

Risk

Since I was on about how TonyRhodey is clearly an amazing ship that is widely underrated I have decided to write some college AU of them ft smol Tony and protective!Rhodey! Warning for creepy, only semi consensual/ forceful behavior (nothing terribly graphic but know its there).

Pepper is giving him looks and yeah he knows. He doesn’t really like Tony spending any kind of time with Tiberius Stone but its not really like he can tell the guy to stop it, that’s not his place. Tony’s grown enough to make his own decisions. Probably a little too grown given that he’s only eighteen but likes to pretend like he’s ten years older than that. Rhodey thinks it makes him feel more at home in spaces where everyone is older than him but most of the people they’re in class with are older than Rhodey too and he doesn’t really feel the need to act older than twenty one. But then his father hadn’t been a piece of shit who liked to abuse him for acting anything less than perfect either so maybe that’s why.

He thinks maybe that’s why Tony likes Tiberius to begin with, because he’s looking for validation and Ty’s plenty happy to give it to him, provided Tony does what he wants. There’s a million and one red flags in how he acts with Tony but Tony doesn’t much listen when Rhodey tells him about it and Pepper has her own methods of dealing with him that mostly involve a lot of convincing him her ideas are his ideas and then once he’s done what she wants reconvening him they were her ideas the whole time. Which, to be fair, they were but that’s more work than Rhodey’s willing to put in. He’s a lot more straight forward than Pepper and he likes things that way. The only thing he does put effort into is hiding the way he feels about Tony. Its not that he doesn’t want to tell him, but Tony has never really been single and if he is Rhodey swears its never for more than a day. So he keeps it to himself.

“Have I ever told you that I hate Ty?” she says and Rhodey raises an eyebrow.

“No you haven’t. Why mention it now?” he asks.

Pepper looks back over to Tony and Ty, “because that isn’t going to end well and you might need my backup in pointing out how much of a skeezy slime bag Ty is. It’s easier if you have immediate examples. Happy hates him too.”

Happy Rhodey knew about because he’s not shy in giving Ty looks but Pepper’s better at hiding it. “What makes you think it’ll go wrong now?” he asks. They’ve been with, and Rhodey uses the term loosely, each other for months now and things have been steady. Its not a good relationship by any means, but its not as bad as it could be.

Or at least that’s what he thought, but the look on Pepper’s face says otherwise. “He tells me things he doesn’t tell you, and even if he didn’t Ty doesn’t act the same around you as he does me. He views you as a threat, I’m just a woman.”

Rhodey snorts because that’s a massive misread of Pepper but okay. He has bigger concerns though. “And you haven’t said anything? To Tony, I mean.”

She shakes his head, “he doesn’t do anything until he’s good and ready to do it, you know that. But things have been getting worse and I don’t know what that looks like because he’s stopped talking to me. He hasn’t stopped talking to you though, which I think is weird.”

Its not, but Rhodey happens to have more insight into why than she does. “I’d be suspicious if he stopped talking to me in a way you wouldn’t be. Don’t look at me like that, you’re here talking to me, not confronting Ty like I would. And Tony knows it too. Isolation only works when your friends aren’t a pain in the ass.”

“Isolation? That shouldn’t even be work, Tony hates people as much as he likes spending time with them,” she points out.

Yeah, Tony the contradictory extrovert. He likes being social, but hates being around people. Symptom of a life in the limelight- Tony wants the social aspect without the headlines and never has managed to find that balance. “Isolation is basically abuse 101- you need to make sure there’s no way out otherwise you don’t get full control over a person. And yes, Tony’s done half that work for Ty but we aren’t nearly as hard to shake.”

Pepper gives Tony a worried look but its fine, Rhodey knows its fine because if its not some shit is going to happen and Ty’s not going to like it much. “Just keep an eye on him,” Pepper tells him. He will, partially because he’s worried about Tony, but also because Pepper’s got a good sense for these things. She always seems to sense when something is about to go wrong in Tony’s life before the rest of them. Rhodey doesn’t know how she does it and he kind of wishes he had that skill for himself. It would be easier, he thinks, to help Tony if he knew when Tony needed the help.

*

Yeah, seeing Tony fawning over fucking Tiberius in his lap kind of made Rhodey want to punch stuff but he leaves it. He hates Ty, and he wants to get rid of him, but he’s not going to do it in a way that will be sure to make Tony act a fool and try and get rid of him out of some misplaced sense of needing to rebel from whatever norm he perceives. Tony has never liked rules, spends as much of his time breaking them or bending them as he can, so Rhodey has gone out of his way to make sure Tiberius isn’t a rule. No sense in appealing to Tony’s sense of rebellion, that’s not going to do anyone any good, least of all Tony.

But he does make sure to check on Tony once everyone leaves mostly out of habit. He’s not sure when he developed the habit of stopping by his room every once and awhile to listen in but he’s been at it for awhile. Most of the time he can hear Tony drawing, or typing, or sometimes working on an actual design though Rhodey has mostly trained him into the habit of working on anything metal in the lab. Today though he doesn’t hear much but the rustling of bedsheets and he wrinkles his nose. He’s not exactly content to stick around and listen to whatever comes next but he hears a soft noise that he’s pretty sure came from Tony so he pauses for a moment.

The continued rustle of bedsheets almost drives him away again but as he’s moving back he hears Tony speak. “Wait, Ty, no-” Tony starts and maybe he has more to say, Rhodey has no idea because that’s all he needs to burst in. He doesn’t recall being able to move that fast, and he definitely doesn’t recall having the strength to grab someone by the scruff of their neck and toss them off a bed but that’s what he does.

Its not until Ty lands on his ass that it occurs to Rhodey that there’s a million things that could have led to Tony saying those specific words in that combination that didn’t equal anything bad per se. Its the fact that Tony scrambles off the bed and behind Rhodey, clinging to the back of his shirt that confirms his suspicions though and Rhodey sees red. “You’ve got five seconds or less to get the fuck out of my sight or this’ll go from assault to homicide,” Rhodey tells Ty and his tone must be something else because he’s never seen anyone that pale, not even Loki and his skin tone is the palest Rhodey has ever seen.

Ty does scramble out though, Rhodey’s eyes on him the whole way out. Pepper walks by a few moments later, giving Rhodey a nod as she moves off in the same direction Ty had. He doesn’t pay attention to whether or not he hears the door open and close as he turns to Tony. His eyes are wide and he looks shaken and a little pale but mostly okay. “Damn Rhodey,” he murmurs, “you’re scary when you’re mad.”

Rhodey doesn’t want Tony to be afraid of him though so he sighs, forcing himself to relax some for Tony’s benefit. Doesn’t seem to do much. “Tony,” he says softly, “are you okay?”

Tony has never liked that question, but today he says nothing about it as he presses himself into Rhodey’s chest, hugging him tightly. Rhodey circles his arms around Tony too, trying his best to convey how much he cares about him into the action but he’s pretty sure he fails.

*

Rhodey can’t sleep but Tony did insist he was fine even though Rhodey knows he’s not. He can’t make Tony do anything though so he leaves him be and now all he has is staring at the ceiling until he either falls asleep or his alarm goes off for class tomorrow. He’s almost grateful when his door opens and he expects to find Pepper there but he finds Tony instead, looking overly shy and extra small on account of wearing Rhodey’s MIT sweater. Its large on him so on Tony its huge because he’s so damn short.

“Can I sleep in here?” he asks in a small voice and that hurts, really. Rhodey extends an arm in a silent okay and Tony closes the door. He makes his way over to Rhodey’s bed fast, crawling into it and curling up next to him with his head on Rhodey’s chest. Rhodey curls an arm around him and holds him tightly, half afraid he’ll run off and do who knows what. Its a ridiculous concern but he can’t help but feel like maybe Tony will ignore all of this happened tomorrow because he’s a little too used to letting bad behavior go. He’s had a lifetime of practice with Howard.

“Thanks,” Tony murmurs some time later and Rhodey’s arm tightens around him for a moment.

“Nothing to thank me for, Tones. Its nothing.” He wants to say a whole lot more than that but he doesn’t, not right now. Tony has bigger problems to consider right now so he doesn’t need Rhodey’s mess of feelings.

“It is to me,” Tony says almost so low that Rhodey nearly misses it but he doesn’t. He doesn’t respond though, letting Tony have his private moment.

They lay like that for awhile, Tony curled up in his arms while Rhodey stares at the ceiling, sleep still evading him. He’s trying to find a good way to bring up maybe never speaking to Ty again when Tony shifts, pressing his face into Rhodey’s neck and nosing at it a little. He frowns, confused for a moment until he carefully presses a kiss to Rhodey’s neck, soft and slow and he’s probably thought about this exact situation enough to be embarrassing. Except now its happening and for the worst of reasons.

Rhodey pulls away a little, titling Tony’s head up before he can give him a sad, hurt look and he kisses him softly. That’s something he’s wanted to do for forever too and yeah, maybe his reasons aren’t exactly great here either but he knows Tony won’t take outright rejection well. So he kisses him, gives him at least a little of the attention he wants so he doesn’t feel put out and react badly. “You don’t need to do that, Tony. Just be here, okay? Just let me feel you here,” Rhodey tells him, shifting a little so Tony’s a bit closer to him. Tony relaxes some at least and settles back into his side, head resting on Rhodey’s shoulder.

He can feel Tony smile and Rhodey does too, genuinely happy that Tony is here even if he wishes it was under better circumstances.

*

Tony absolutely is not a morning person assuming he fell asleep at all the night before, so Rhodey’s not surprised that he’s up before Tony. He has a long morning routine anyway and Tony also hates anything to do with jogging and exercise so Rhodey’s happy to go himself. He is, however, a little surprised to find that Tony’s awake by the time he gets out of the bathroom post shower.

He walks over and wraps his arms around Rhodey’s waist, “hey,” he murmurs. Rhodey smiles and hugs Tony back.

“Hey. You’re up early,” he notes and Tony snorts.

“You know I don’t sleep well.” He pulls away and Rhodey knows he’s got more to say but he keeps quiet for now so he pulls himself out of Tony’s grasp and goes to his closet to find a shirt. Tony stands there awkwardly for a few moments before wandering over and leaning against the door frame. “You kissed me last night,” he says and Rhodey can hear the question in there but he doesn’t know what Tony is asking.

“Yeah, I did,” he says, sparing Tony a glance. He looks nervous, a little confused.

“You didn't need to,” he murmurs and there it is. So he thinks Rhodey has some ulterior motive which, technically he did, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t want to kiss Tony.

“I don’t do anything I don’t want to Tones, you know that,” he says in way of an explanation.

Tony steps forward and wraps his arms around him again and Rhodey curls an arm around his waist. “Yes you do, you get into all sorts of trouble you wouldn’t if it wasn’t for me,” he points out.

“None that I don’t really want to be in and even if that was true I’ve wanted to kiss you for years.” He figures the confession might do something to abate Tony’s anxiety and also its something of a relief to get off his chest.

Tony looks surprised by that and Rhodey likes to think he shouldn’t, but Tony’s better at recognizing interest in the form of lust, not love. Leads him into a lot of trouble. “Why haven’t you said anything?” he asks and Rhodey shrugs.

“You’re never single and I never really felt the need to drag you into my shit.” And he didn't know how Tony would react. He’s a naturally touchy person, given the chance he’ll spend most of his time stuck to someone so his touchy nature isn’t really much to go by. If Pepper didn’t shake him off so much he’d do the same with her. But Pepper likes space and also Tony is terrible for getting in the way and if nothing else Pepper is single minded in her focus, even when Tony’s trying desperately to get her to pay more attention to him than her text books. Its kind of funny to watch until Tony gets bored of tormenting her and goes to torment him for awhile. Still, point is that Tony is by nature a cuddly guy so any time he spends like that with Rhodey doesn’t really indicate interest.

“Then why say something now?” Tony asks, always the over thinker.

“Because you’ll keep harassing me until you get an answer you’ve decided is good enough. Might as well cut the twenty minute inquisition and tell you the truth.” Tony’s a nosey little bastard, and curious too. In another life he probably would have been a great journalist. Or just his regular pain in the ass self.

“You’ve really wanted to kiss me for years?” he asks, smiling. His eyes are bright, teasing, and its nice to see.

Rhodey nods, “technically you were my first actual crush,” he tells him. He didn’t really get it then mostly because people don’t talk about men being attracted to men and until Tony pretty shamelessly spent time pursuing them Rhodey never really considered the possibility in earnest. Once it occurred to him though he never really stopped thinking about Tony.

“I thought your first crush was Carol,” he says and Rhodey lets out a long sigh.

“One time, one time I have a minor interest in a lesbian and no one lets me live it down. And it was only a minor interest because... well, no one ever really did live up to the bar you set.” Tony’s a tough act to live up to and if Rhodey’s honest he’s not sure he ever let anyone try. Maybe there’s someone that’s better for him, he probably won’t ever know because he’s only really had eyes for Tony.

“Really? Why?” Tony asks, baffled.

Yeah, Rhodey really wished he didn’t do that but he’s met Howard, he knows what Tony is used to. Somewhere along the way he lost all value in himself and Rhodey hates Howard for that, really. He’s never really been one to hate much, its not in his nature, but people who treat Tony like shit make his blood boil. “Because Tony, you’re smart- I love watching the way you work through problems, the way you invent. And you’re compassionate, more than you give yourself credit for. And you’re funny even if you’re also a right pain in the ass, and you might be impulsive as hell but I love your curiosity. You’re easy to love,” he says, shrugging.

He wished that Tony didn’t look so suspicious at that, like Rhodey is lying to him or something but Tony doesn’t accept love as easy as he accept bad treatment. Rhodey knows this about him and he’s long accepted that he’d have to work hard to convince Tony he cares. He’s fine with that.

“What, do my good looks not appeal?” he asks and Rhodey resists the urge to roll his eyes.

Yeah, everyone with functioning eyes knows that Tony is hot but that doesn’t do much for Rhodey. Or anyone else if they’re honest about it. He’s never met a person who hasn’t had a moment where they thought someone was attractive until they opened their mouth and they decided maybe they weren’t worth it. But Tony’s looks are never what appealed most to him. “Tony, you’re probably the most attractive person I’ve ever met but I want you, not the package you come in. That’s a nice bonus though, I’ve probably spent too much time staring at your ass. Made a mathematical equation for the curve of it once and that’s weird, I don’t know why I said that.”

Thankfully Tony finds that hilarious because he throws his head back and laughs.

*

Rhodey hands Maria a wrench and she takes it, giving Carol a worried look. She’s hanging out of the engine area of the plane looking ridiculous like that but she’s the one who knows this plane best so they’ve left her to it. Rhodey could probably fix the issue faster, he’s got a boosted intelligence on his side, but Carol has experience on hers. Also its kind of funny watching her dangle out of the plane. “You think she’ll fall out of that?” Maria asks and Rhodey shrugs.

“Probably, but she’s like a cat. She always lands on her feet,” he says and Maria snorts.

“Someone hasn’t been paying enough attention. Carol’s like a toddler, always landing on her ass. You okay up here?” Maria calls.

Carol shimmies around until her feet manage to find the ladder she used to get up there. “I’m good,” she says and Rhodey shakes his head.

“She says that like she isn’t committing like fifty health and safety violations not using the right equipment to get up there,” he says to Maria, who laughs.

“Carol will be Carol.” She shrugs and she’s not wrong. Carol reminds him a lot of Tony, all wild energy with no real direction to point it in even if she’s got obvious passions. For Tony its inventing, for Carol it's flying. Both of them are nuts but that happens to be their appeal.

“What? It was like a five second fix and if anyone tells Lawson I’ll kick your asses,” she says as she climbs down the ladder. Rhodey and Maria shake their heads and Maria goes off to deal with the Jeep she’d been working on.

“Hey, so what’s up with you and Tony?” Carol asks and Maria turns around and walks back over mid-way to her task.

“What?” she asks when they look at her. “I want the gossip from a reliable source. So far I’ve heard like five stories about how Rhodey tried to kill Tiberius Stone and if there’s a body don’t tell me, I want plausible deniability,” she tells him.

“I’ll help you hide the body. What?” Carol asks when Maria gives her a look. “He’s a total d-bag and Rhodey has done the world a service by strangling him to death.”

He rolls his eyes. “I didn’t kill anyone, but I did maybe threaten to kill him a little. But it was his fault anyway and-” he tells them the rest of the story, plus the extra bits about his maybe relationship with Tony. He’s not really sure what’s going on.

“First of all let me take back wanting plausible deniability, I’ll help you bury him too. Also, I’m pretty sure Tony just doesn’t know what to do with a decent relationship. He’s got awful taste in men,” Maria says and Carol snorts.

“Is there such thing as good taste in men?” she asks and Rhodey gives her an offended look.

“I’m right here,” he points out.

“You don’t count as men, you’ve risen above that,” Carol tells him, punching him in the arm.

“I don’t know if I should be offended or flattered,” he murmurs. 

“Flattered. Also, Maria is right. He’s dealt with a weird amount of shit. Give him time and he’ll probably stop wondering when the facade will drop,” she says and Rhodey frowns.

“What’s that even mean?” He’s known Tony for almost more time than he hasn’t, he knows Rhodey by now so why would he be waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Carol frowns, “what, you’ve never had that happen to you? You know, you know someone for awhile and they seem fine, but once you’re in a relationship they like... go Gremlin on you?”

What? No he hasn’t had that happen to him. “Uh, explain,” he says and Maria rolls her eyes.

“He’s a dude,” she says and Rhodey squints.

“Tony’s a dude,” he points out.

“Tony’s a dude who’s into dudes. Guess guys do it to each other too, but sometimes when meet men they seem fine. You agree on a lot, they seem pretty cool, and then when you date them its like all that was a ploy so they could get into a relationship with you and act like they own you. That person you liked in the beginning? Poof, disappeared,” Maria says, waving a hand around.

Carol nods, “or sometimes you don’t even get to the relationship stage. Sometimes they ask you out and then when you say no they lose their minds like you’ve just murdered their mother right in front of them,” she says, shaking her head. “Point is, Tony’s definitely had this issue. Its what Ty did,” she points out.

Now that she mentions it that kind of is what Ty did. Tony likes attention, provided its the kind he wants, and Ty gave him what he wanted until Tony spent the amount of time with him that he wanted. Then he started pulling back on that validation unless Tony did what he wanted and that’s a pattern?

“What, do women not do that?” he asks. He’s never run into any but that doesn’t mean much. Its not like he’s run into many men who do that either, or maybe he just hasn’t noticed the right patterns like Carol and Maria obviously have.

Maria shakes her head, “no they do, but not usually in the same ways men do. I run into less problems with women.”

“Yeah, me too. Most of the ones I run into that pull that are usually manipulative assholes, but Maria’s right. Its in different ways. They’re usually more subtle about the whole guilt trip do-what-I-want crap. Still, point is Tony has maybe run into too many people who seem fine until they aren’t so give him some time,” she says.

Rhodey sighs, but he long ago accepted that Tony is more work than most. So there’s a little more to it, he’ll deal with it.

*

Tony looks agitated when Rhodey gets home and he sighs. “What’s wrong, honey?” he asks, pet name coming out maybe a little too easily but Tony doesn’t notice as he walks over, flinging his arms around Rhodey’s waist.

He looks over to Pepper, who looks more annoyed than Tony. “Tiberius won’t stop calling,” she says and as if on cue the phone rings. Rhodey holds out his hand and Pepper hands the phone over to him easily. Tony looks worried but he shouldn’t be. Rhodey knows how to handle himself.

“What the hell do you want?” he snaps immediately and shit, he hopes its not someone else.

“Oh great, he’s got you to do his dirty work,” Ty says and Rhodey lets out a sharp laugh.

“Buddy, if he got me to do his dirty work you’d know it so how about you fuck way the hell off,” he snaps.

“Whatever Rhodey. Put Tony on the phone,” Ty tells him and he lets out another laugh.

“Fuck no. Stop calling, don’t show up here, disappear from Tony’s life. He doesn’t need you here,” he says, rolling his eyes.

“He’s not that good at sucking dick, Rhodes. Hand the phone over,” Ty says and Rhodey swears to god he sees red.

“I don’t know shit about Tony’s skill at any kind of sex and I don’t need to to have enough basic respect for him to tell assholes like you to fuck off. And lets not act like you’re more moral than he is when you’re out here forcing people into it,” he snaps, hanging up before he says anything he regrets. Pepper raises an eyebrow and Rhodey knows that look. She didn’t like Ty before, but she’s about to ruin his life now. “Know that I endorse anything you do, and if I have to help you hide a body I will,” he tells her.

Pepper turns to Tony, who’s half turned in Rhodey’s arms to look over at Pepper. “Seems like you’ve missed a few important details in that relationship when you told me about the shitty things he does,” she says in an overly cheery tone. “Doesn't matter. I’ll take care of him,” she tells them, pleasant smile on her face and honestly Rhodey would feel bad for Ty if he didn’t think he was so deserving of Pepper’s wrath. Rhodey might be more willing to confront him, but Pepper is about to ruin his life and any possible way he could recover from it too.

Good.

*

Rhodey is attempting to do homework when Tony comes into his room, walking over and sitting in his lap. He shakes his head and wraps his arms around Tony’s waist. “You here to bug me?” he asks and Tony rolls his eyes.

“You love me,” he tells Rhodey, nose in the air.

Rhodey presses a kiss to Tony’s cheek, “yeah I do. But I assume you have a reason for being in here aside from being a bug.”

Tony makes an offended noise, acting more like himself than Rhodey has seen in a long time. Its nice to see. “Can’t I just want to spend time with you?” he asks innocently.

“Sure, but usually when you want that you show up with food,” he points out. “So what draws you in here?” he asks.

Tony shakes his head, leaning into Rhodey. “So uh. Stone International tanked today, something about unethical experiments with pharmaceuticals? Ty got arrested and newspapers indicate there’s more crimes to come,” he says.

“Pepper,” Rhodey says and Tony nods. “Ty’s a fucking idiot for deciding I was the bigger threat.” Pepper might not be the physical type, but damn if she isn’t terrifying nonetheless.

“Ty’s an idiot for a lot of things,” Tony says and yeah that’s true. “He used to tell me that you guys mostly only put up with me for my money,” he admits softly and he’s probably lucky he’s in jail because Rhodey is tempted to punch him. Or worse.

“That is in no way even remotely true,” he says, trying to temper his reaction some because that pisses him off.

Tony smiles a little, “I know. Kind of caught a clue when you listed off all the things you liked about me and my looks and money weren’t on the list. I know when you’re lying and you weren’t.”

“You could have asked before, I would have been happy to set that straight,” Rhodey tells him. “And I don’t just like those things about you Tones, I love you. I have for years, and I genuinely don’t think I could ever love anyone else like I love you. I don’t give a shit about your looks or money.”

When Tony wraps his arms around him Rhodey hugs him tight, hoping that the action conveys his love for Tony.

*

Maria and Carol look more annoyed that Rhodey has ever seen them. “Honey, I say this with love. But there is no amount of money that will make anyone put up with you, we do it out of love,” she says,

Tony gives her an offended look and turns to Rhodey, pouting. “Look baby, you know you can be a handful. Doesn’t mean we don’t love you for it,” he says.

“Am I the only one who thinks his antics are fun? Remember that Justin Hammer? That was great,” Carol says and Maria shakes her head.

“I don’t get you. I love you, but I don’t get you,” she says.

“Justin Hammer is the worst thing to happen to this planet, he’s worse than napalm!” Tony says viciously.

Pepper frowns. “I can think of at least five people in your life alone that are worse than Hammer,” Pepper tells him.

Tony sticks his nose in the air. “Nope, he’s the worst.”

Rhodey shakes his head. “Listen Tones, point is we all love you even if sometimes you get weirdly attached to hating people because they stole your mechanical pencil once.”

Maria frowns, eyebrows drawing together. “That’s what that was all about? We terrorized that guy for four straight months because he stole a pencil?”

“It was the best pencil I ever had! And he’s the worst! Every time I see his stupid rat face I go into a blind rage,” Tony says, emotion evident on his face and Rhodey sighs.

“I’ve stopped trying to make sense of the way his mind works because its fascinating regardless of the ‘how’ bit. Also, in his defense Hammer is actually horrible. Can’t stand the guy either,” he says, shaking his head.

Tony grins, puffing himself up. “See, Rhodey agrees with me!”

[artemisegeria]

False Friends

Title: False Friends

Rating: T

Word count: 3,131

Warnings: none

Summary: Wanda and Vision learn the unsavory truth about their supposed friends.

 A/N: It’s only feast or famine around here when it comes to inspiration, so here’s another fic.

Sequel to New Friends. Endgame AU. Both Wanda and Stephen survived the Snap. This ended up going in a darker direction than I anticipated, but I’m still bitter and angry over Endgame so I let it take me there. I’m perfectly happy to blame the writers and directors rather than the characters for their decisions, but this is a more cynical interpretation.

 When Wanda and the other remaining Avengers entered the compound, the air was musty. They all went their separate ways. Wanda traveled straight to Vision’s room. It looked as if he could have just stepped out of the room and would return any minute. Some books were neatly piled on a table in the corner. The same picture that he had chosen when they were both new to the Avengers hung on the wall. She simply sat and tried to absorb Vision’s essence.

A few days later, everyone was sitting down to breakfast when a glowing circle appeared in the air in front of them. A tall thin man strode through, supporting Tony Stark in his arms. Everyone jumped to their feet. Wanda automatically summoned her power, the red tendrils twirling around her fingers. The man glanced at her hands, but immediately moved his attention to Stark, helping him over to one of the couches. “You can all stand down. I am no threat to you. He needs medical attention immediately. Whom do you trust?”

“Helen Cho. She asked for a leave after everything happened.”

With a single nod, the man was off. They all stared at each other for a moment before Steve and Rhodey rushed into action. They set Stark up in a spare bedroom and surrounded him with blankets. Within half an hour the man appeared again with Helen Cho in tow.

Several hours later, she had managed to stabilize Stark’s condition. Steve decided it was finally time to demand answers from the stranger. He explained how they had ended up on Titan and met the self-proclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy. He went on to tell of the fight with Thanos and everyone disappearing.

Later that day, Wanda was alone in the kitchen when Strange approached her. “I was sorry to hear about Vision.”

Wanda nodded. “He spoke highly of you. He valued your companionship.”

Strange regarded her silently for a moment. “Vision did mention several times that he thought we would work well together if the Accords were ever resolved. I came to agree with him. With the world such as it is now, I would like to train you in the mystic arts. I believe you would have a natural aptitude for them.”

“I’ll get back to you.”

“Very well.”

 One Year Later

 Wanda sat in the conference room, tapping a pen against the table as she waited for the others. With a look from Stephen she stilled herself. Throughout his mentorship, he had urged patience. Wanda was trying. She struggled to pay attention throughout the entire agenda until Natasha asked, “Does anyone have any other business?”

Wanda raised her hand. Tony pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger when Nat gestured her on. “I want to talk about Vision.”

“We’ve talked about him, Wanda.”

“Not in months. You expect me to just forget?” She glared at Tony. “I know we’ve been busy. I know the world is still falling apart all around us, but you promised.”

“We discussed the problem, and Bruce is still working out his Hulk situation. Besides, Pepper could pop at any moment.” Not that Wanda needed a reminder of Pepper’s impending due date, as Tony talked about little else. “I promise, once Bruce is better and Pepper is on her feet again, we’ll keep working on bringing him back.”

Wanda relaxed back in her chair. “That’s all I ask.”

 Two Years Later

 They reached the end of another meeting. It was Strange’s turn to lead. When he asked for any other business, the entire team groaned when Wanda raised her hand again.

Strange looked to Tony. “Do you have any progress on Vision to report?”

“No,” he said with an exasperated sigh. “I would tell you if anything had changed. This is not a simple problem to fix.” Said the man who bragged about mastering astrophysics overnight, thought Wanda bitterly.

“Can I at least see him?” Wanda was horrified at how her memories of Vision were losing their crispness. She just wanted to see him and hold him one more time if nothing else.

Tony pushed back his chair and leapt to his feet. “What good would it do? We’re doing everything we can, but it’s time for you to accept we may not be able to bring him back. Be realistic.” His condescending tone was the final straw. Along with the fact Tony always won and got everything she could never keep.

“Really? Really? What if it were Pepper or Morgan? Can you honestly tell me you wouldn’t stop at nothing to bring them back? That’s what Vision is to me, my family! I won’t just forget him.”

“It’s not the same,” Tony said, clearly unsettled.

“In what way?” Wanda asked with all the iciness she could muster. She was gratified when Tony was left momentarily speechless. She stormed out before he could make any more excuses.

A few days later, Wanda was meditating in one of the compound’s training rooms when Stephen approached her. She opened her eyes and stood when she felt his presence. “Hello, Wanda.”

“Hello.”

“I am glad to see you’ve been practicing.”

“It helps a bit.”

“Look, I won’t delay the inevitable with mindless pleasantries. Bruce and Tony asked me to talk to you about Vision.”

Wanda was torn between hope and dread, though Stephen’s demeanor was not encouraging. “What now?”

“They feel that they have exhausted all options and they have failed every time. They don’t believe they can bring him back. I’m sorry. I miss him as well, but if Bruce and Tony are out of ideas, I don’t know what else to do.”

Part of Wanda had known this was a possibility, but she hadn’t been willing to accept it. She acknowledged Stephen’s words with a nod and rushed off to Vision’s room, which she had not let anyone else touch, curling up on the bed and sobbing out her grief.

 Five Years Later

Wanda followed the voices she heard whispering toward one of the labs in the compound. She found Stephen, Tony, and Bruce standing over a table. They had been working together to construct a new gauntlet for the Stones they had gathered. At the sound of her steps, Tony immediately hit a button that darkened a screen that hid whatever they were standing over from her view. “What are you all doing?”

“Just taking care of a few final adjustments for the gauntlet,” Stephen answered smoothly, walking toward her. “We’re done, though. Let’s meditate together for a few moments before the final push.” Wanda acquiesced, though part of her remained suspicious that they were hiding something.

A couple hours later they were in the middle of battling Thanos. Despite Carol’s firepower and their combined efforts, they were beginning to be overcome. Wanda had had her moment to face him down, but she was robbed of the moment to destroy him. Rage and despair engulfed her as she caught sight of the destroyed compound behind her, where she wasn’t even sure if Vision’s vibranium body could have been strong enough to withstand. She redoubled her attacks against Thanos and his army of nightmarish creatures.

But then, during a lull in the battle, a familiar figure rose into the air, golden cape flapping in the breeze. Wanda gasped, scarcely daring to believe what she was seeing. He wore Tony’s gauntlet, and the Stones glowed within it. He said nothing, merely snapped his fingers. As Thanos and his armies started to fade away to dust, Vision collapsed. Wanda started running toward him with the last of her strength, but she could not catch him. She fell to the dirt beside his body. It was startlingly reminiscent of the moments after his second death.

However, she could feel the faint hum of his mind. She finally looked up to see the others surrounding her and Vision. Tony was clapping Stephen on the shoulder. “You were right, Doc. It worked!”

Stephen glared at him and shrugged off his hand. “Now is not the time, Stark.”

“What are you talking about?” Wanda croaked.

“Nothing. Let’s get Vision to a place where he can rest comfortably.” Stephen immediately conjured an elaborate tent with a bed and medical equipment.

Several days later Wanda was slumped over in a chair next to Vision’s bed. He was still unconscious, though the brightness of his mind was growing. Wanda was woken by a set of voices passing by the tent.

“Come on, Strange. I don’t know why you insist on telling Wanda about our little fib. It will just upset her.” Wanda shifted her attention to Stark’s voice. What was he talking about now?

“It was more than a fib, and you know it. We are all complicit in letting Vision stay dead for five years when we could have revived him at any time. But it was my idea, so I bear the primary responsibility, and it is my duty to make it right.” Wanda could scarcely believe her ears. She might have expected this from Stark, but Stephen had come to be one of her best friends. She resisted the urge to face them right away, needing to stay by Vision’s side in case he woke up scared and confused.

“Look, Vision seems to be doing well. He’ll be fine in a few more days. Wanda used her powers the way you said she would. No harm done.”

“I planned to lie to her until the final confrontation, but I always promised myself I would tell her the full truth if we won.”

“You’re worrying too much. We saved the universe and nobody died! Let’s focus on that.”

“I still cost my friend and student five years with the man she loves. A price must be paid for that.” Wanda shook at the confirmation that the team had been lying to her this whole time. They let Vision rot. They let her believe the worst.

Later that day, when Stephen stopped by to check on Vision, Wanda finally confronted him. “You’re right. A price must be paid.” Strange winced as she repeated his words to Stark. “How could you? I thought you were my friend, my mentor. You were Vision’s friend.”

At least he had the grace not to try to deny anything. “It was the only future I saw where we won. We needed your rage.”

Wanda would show him true rage. “Bullshit!”

“Wanda-.”

“No! You’ve been teaching me for years. You’ve seen the growth of my powers. I don’t believe you really thought this was the only way.”

“I had my suspicions, but I had to be sure. I will do everything I can to make things right for you and Vision, but I will not apologize for my choices.”

“Get away from me. I don’t want to see any of you unless it is necessary for Vision’s treatment. I’m leaving as soon as he is stable.”

“What if he wishes to stay on with the Avengers? I know how important saving the world and being part of the team are to him.”

Wanda didn’t even want to think about that possibility right now. “That would be up to him. We would work it out between the two of us, but I would still refuse to see you. Now get out unless you are here to do something for him.” Strange turned on his heel.

A few days later, Vision finally stirred. He tried to sit up, but Wanda gently pushed him back against the pillows. “W-Wanda, what is happening?” He reached for her hand, and she took it gladly, beyond relieved to feel the warmth of his skin. His grasp was concerningly weak, but that was to be expected after so long.

“Everything’s okay now. We won thanks to you. We’re all safe.” Wanda traced her free hand over his cheek, reassuring herself that he was here and alive. She let herself truly smile as he relaxed under her touch.

This new serenity did not last, though. Wanda felt the confusion and distress growing in him. “Wanda, something is wrong with my internal clock. It says the year is 2023.”

She wished that they could just rest for a time, but Vision’s comfort was more important. Wanda took a deep breath to prepare herself. “It is a long story.” She began with the tale of Strange’s arrival at the compound and ended with their reconstruction of the Gauntlet. She omitted the revelation of the team’s betrayal. She didn’t want to overwhelm him too soon. There was all the time in the world to tell him the full story of those missing five years.

The next day questions poured forth from Vision for hours. Wanda took it as a good sign of his returning strength, though it was painful to recount those lonely years when she had no hope of his revival. Towards the end of the day, she finally admitted what she had learned of the others’ betrayal. Vision shut down completely at that. He claimed fatigue. Wanda knew better, but she did not press. She held him quietly as she absorbed his tears.

They left the following day without a word to anyone.

In the end, Wanda and Vision decided to go far away. They hid themselves as much as Wanda’s powers and Vision’s technical expertise allowed, letting the world pass them by as they grew their family in peace.

 ---------- 

Five Years Post-Endgame – Alternate Ending: Villain Origin Story

Wanda was finishing feeding the babies when a sensor alerted them to approaching visitors.

Vision sighed. “They are here.” Wanda redressed quickly, gathering the twins close to her. “Stay here with the boys. I will deal with them.” Wanda was prepared to argue but recognized the need to protect her children from the intruders. She merely nodded as she activated a forcefield around the three of them. Vision gave her one last look when a knock sounded at the door.

He opened it to see Tony, Steve, Bruce, and Stephen standing on their doorstep. “Long time no see, Buddy,” said Tony, adopting an air of forced joviality. “Can we come in for a little chat?”

“No, you may not. We are busy right now, and we have nothing to say to you.”

“Oh, yeah, newborns can do that.” Vision panicked a bit internally at the confirmation that they knew about the twins. He and Wanda had suspected that the Avengers would find out, but they were hoping to avoid this confrontation as long as possible. Tony, unaware of Vision’s mind working, continued talking. “Our third just turned one. We can commiserate. It’ll only take a few minutes. Come on, for old times’ sake.”

“I think it would be best for us not to dwell on the past. I trust you will find that we remember it very differently.”

“Vizh, it’s been five years. I know we did you wrong, but can’t you move on?”

Vision struggled not to bare his teeth at them. He had worked so hard to forgive them for abandoning him for five years, for manipulating Wanda. He had not achieved full forgiveness, but he had created his own new life with Wanda. He was willing to let the past rest. Now, Tony dared to lecture him. “You well know that I have moved on. We are done with the Avengers. Leave now and we will have no quarrel with you.”

“We can’t do that, Vision,” chimed in Strange. “Your children should not be able to exist. We need to examine them. I promise we will not harm them.”

“Forgive me for not believing your promises, Doctor Strange,” Vision replied sardonically. He hid his hurt behind an icy demeanor. There was a time he had considered Stephen one of his closest friends. When he learned what both Stephen and Tony had done, it was some time before he could think about them without suppressed rage. “You will not touch my children or my wife. I have no wish to hurt you, but I am prepared to use deadly force to defend my family. Please do not give me reason to do so.”

“Vision, please.” It was Steve’s turn to intervene. “You know what the world is like now. People are nervous. We just want a little information. There’s no need for threats.”

“You have had quite a change of heart, Captain.”

Steve backed up a few steps under the weight of Vision’s glare, and he felt a surge of savage satisfaction. “Can I talk to Wanda?”

Vision could feel Wanda’s growing anger through their link. “You will not receive a different answer from her. Wanda and I have discussed this, and we are of the same mind.”

Tony frowned at him. “You’re not going to change your mind, are you?”

“No.”

“We didn’t want to do this.” Vision anticipated Tony’s signal just before he raised his hand, turning himself super dense. The bullets from the snipers in the trees around their house bounced harmlessly off of Vision. One ricocheted and hit Steve in the shoulder. Another narrowly missed Tony’s head.

In the distraction of everyone dodging out of the way, Vision fled back into the house. Wanda expanded her shield to include him, and they immediately took to the air, their sons snuggled between them.

Vision had spent the months of Wanda’s pregnancy preparing several safehouses. They both discussed the possibility that the birth of their children would disturb the fragile truce that existed between them and the Avengers. Once they reached their safe place, Wanda settled the twins while Vision recalibrated the defenses.

Later that evening, during a brief lull between feedings, they collapsed together, Wanda running her fingers all over Vision’s torso to check for any damage. He was extremely happy for the contact, whether it was necessary or not, but he ached to reassure her and relieve the tightness around her eyes and mouth. “I am unhurt, love. I was able to phase in time.”

“Good. Because nothing’s allowed to happen to you again. I forbid it.”

Vision couldn’t help but grin at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her expression relaxed as well. “That’s right. Don’t you forget it.” The momentary levity was interrupted by one of the babies having a nightmare, Vision could not be sure who through his secondary connection. It was immaterial because soon both twins were crying out in the night. Vision and Wanda rushed to soothe them, murmuring that Mama and Daddy were here and loved them very much and everyone was safe.

When they finally settled again, Wanda and Vision gazed down at them. Eventually, they moved to their own bed, holding each other close. It was then that they began to evolve their plans to be more proactive against the threats to their children.

[ellebabywrites]

Judas Kiss 6 - Mark Lee

Type : Series // Angst // Fluff // Future Smut // Gang!au

Warnings : Violence // Character Deaths // Cussing

Summary : There’s only one rule. You protect your own. None of you had chosen this life, but sticking together was the only way to survive it. When one of you dies and things start going wrong, the boy that saved you once on a whim, might be the only one who can keep you together.

Author Note : Chapter 6 is finally here !! This chapter and the next chapter are a little shorter because of the build up , but they’re packed full of fluff to make up for what’s to come ... 😅 Let me know what you think lovelies!! 💛

The Apartment was nothing like the Firehouse. For starters it was an actual apartment, not hidden in another building and not really even hidden that well. The building belongs to King; the residents are King’s allies; the neighbourhood is pretty much under King’s rule. For a ‘safe house’ it was debatable just how safe it really was.

You all make your way across the street from the old brick building, looking up at it hesitantly, unsure if it was really a good idea or not to head inside. With the Firehouse being exposed now, there was no telling what could be waiting for you all.

“Are we really just going to walk in there?” Rikky asked, stopping next to Mark in the middle of the street to stare up at the intimidatingly tall building, “I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out we could be here, and let’s be honest this,” he gestures at the building, “Isn’t exactly Fort Knox.”

With an exasperated sigh Ty turns around and grips Rikky by the back of the neck, dragging him along, “Stop trying to freak the kid out,” he scolded. Behind them both Mark was frozen in place, eyes like saucers making you giggle at how adorable he looks whenever Rikky teases him. Linking your arm through his, you pull him to follow the others inside. 

Once you all reach the elevator, Mark finally lets his eyes shrink back to their normal size and releases a heavy breath, while Rikky smirks at him through the reflection of the doors, earning an elbow to the ribs from Ty. “Don’t worry Mark, everyone here is good with King so we’re safe,” he says reassuringly, with a kind of authority to his voice that makes Mark believe him and relax a little.

“It’s not much and no one’s been here in forever so it’s probably a mess,” you start rambling on as Ty unlocks the door to the apartment. Before it was a safe house, this place was your first home with King, it felt like you were letting Mark into another part of your soul and you were nervous. “I think Johnny’s old Xbox is still here, but there won’t be any food and you gave me your last piece of toast at Walt’s so you’re probably hungry.…”

“It’s okay Y/N, I’ll be fine,” Mark cuts you off before you could completely freak out over the state of your old home in the middle of the hall, “I’m sure it’s more than fine.”

And ‘fine’ it was. By the way you’d all been talking about it, Mark expected the apartment to be nothing special, just a typical N.City apartment, one bedroom, maybe a separate kitchen space. What he did not expect was to walk into a modern, 3-bedroomed suite with marble furnishings and fluffy creamy rugs. There was the faintest traces of dust along some of the tables but other than that, the place was spotless.

“Ahh how I’ve missed this place,” Rikky sighs in content, throwing down his bag and launching himself onto one of the rose coloured sofas that sat in the middle of the room, “If the firehouse is the batcave, this is Wayne manor.” Rikky got himself comfortable fairly quickly, lying back with his eyes closed and leaving the rest of you to carry the bags inside.

“This place is...wow,” Mark gasped, moving in a circle to stare up at all the paintings that hung high on the walls.

Ty looked on with a smirk as he watched you watching Mark, it felt like he was witnessing one of Johnny’s romcom movies in real life watching the pair of you.

“Y/N you help me carry this stuff to our room,” Ty hands you a duffle bag before turning to Mark, “If Rikky ever gets his ass up, your room’s just on the right there,” he motions over to the doors on the other side of the suite yand follows you over to them.

“C’mere Markie,” Rikky sings from his relaxed position on the sofa, waving around his arms in grabbing motions, “come cuddle ol’ Rikky before we go unpack.” Used to the melodramatics by now, Mark can only laugh as he tries to push Rikky’s legs down to make room for him to sit. But his attempts are futile because the second he gets close enough, Rikky pulls him down on top of him, wrapping his legs around his waist, engulfing him in a tight hug.

---

No one knew how long you’d be lying low at the apartment; no one knew the damage of Bangtan’s cyber attack; hell, no one knew anything. King was keeping everything very hush hush and you were just left to wait around and see what happens; and as the days went on it was becoming harder to keep your head down.

“This is bullshit,” Rikky suddenly snapped, drawing everyone’s attention away from The Office repeats you’d all been glued to for the last few days, “It’s bullshit! Where is King? C’mon, where is he? We’ve been here for 4 days and he’s been here what? Twice!”

“Okay Rik just calm down…” Ty groans at the outburst.

“No Ty! Seriously what are we doing here?”

“We just have to wait for King to come back Rik..” Mark tries to reason but Rikky can’t let it go.

“I’m sick of waiting for King Mark! King’s been acting shady ever since Johnny died and now we’re just supposed to trust he’ll sort everything out? We don’t even know where he is or what’s going on! Y/N, c’mon this must be bothering you too?”

“I mean..” you do agree but you’re not quite ready to bring it to the whole group yet, only letting Mark know of your bubbling suspicions, “it wouldn’t hurt to find out what’s happening…”

“See Ty, Y/N agrees!” Rikky yells out childishly, “All I’m saying is we do a little recon and find out what Bangtan are planning, that way we can be prepared.”

No one can deny that. Isn’t it better to be prepared than stuck as sitting ducks?

---

It’s been another long day. King hasn’t been at the apartment for another few days and it’s been nothing but radio silence. Most of the time is spent either sleeping; playing video games or trying to come up with plan to deal with Bangtan on your own.

“No Rikky that’s not how you do it!”

“I’m telling you this is enough!”

“You put that in first, God didn’t your mother teach you anything?”

“I grew up with killers big guy, they weren’t big on laundry!”

Mark makes his way off of the sofa where he was having a nap, to see Ty and Rikky arguing over the washing machine. They both freeze when Mark walks in, holding a bottle of detergent between them, clearly mid-fight.

“What’s going on in here?” he asks groggily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and trying not to laugh at the sight.

“Laundry Mark. What, you’ve never done laundry before?” Rikky quips defensively, but when Mark looks to see the spilled detergent all over the floor and pile of dirty clothes leaking out of the machine, he can’t help the giggle that comes out.

“Johnny used to do all this stuff,” Ty explains, looking embarrassed at the mess they’d made, “he was kind of the expert.”

“Okay okay, let me help.”

—-

After helping Ty and Rikky do their laundry, watching their faces scrunch up in concentration as he explains every step of the process, Mark falls back down on the sofa, filling in his forgotten nap time with more video games.

It’s almost 3 hours later when the front door opens and King walks into the dimly lit room, surprised to see someone still up, he sighs deeply and avoids eye contact, hanging up his coat on the hook before making his way over.

“Didn’t think anyone would be awake,” he says, still avoiding Mark’s curious eyes. King’s not stupid. He knows what everyone must be thinking, but he can’t explain, not yet.

“I got hooked on this level,” Mark chuckles nervously, it’s awkward and quiet and he doesn’t quite know how he should be acting around King right now.

“I’m really proud of you Mark,” There’s a faint smell of whiskey in the air when he speaks, not a lot, but enough for Mark to notice and enough to make him worry. In the short time he’s known King; lived with him; learned from him - he’s never seen him looking like this. Looking so broken. “You’re a good kid Mark… you’ll protect Y/N… you’ll take care of my Y/N…”

“Is everything okay Sir? Can….” Mark chews on his lip anxiously, “Can I do anything?” King is looking at his feet, eyes sad and distant. There’s a deafening silence filling the room and Mark is at a loss for what to do.

“You’re a good kid,” King finally looks up and Mark can see the tears starting to fill his eyes. “Go get some sleep Mark,” he says, turning to walk away, looking back over his shoulder just before to say “take Y/N to Walt’s tomorrow, she doesn’t get to see him enough.”

---

Loud chatter and the strong smell of coffee overwhelms your senses as you sit in Walt’s. Mark had asked you if you wanted to get some pancakes the next morning, just the two of you, and honestly it was a relief to get out alone for a while.

“You look pretty,” Mark says, smiling over his cup of coffee to see your reaction. He’s figured out how easy it is to make you blush and it’s become a personal mission of his to make it happen at least once a day.

“You look pretty,” you repeat back to him, trying to jokingly divert attention away from the flush of your neck but failing to hide the bashful smile from your face.

“How’re you feeling today?” He always asks how you’re feeling, not how you are, not how you’re doing - but how you’re feeling, and for some reason you always find yourself being honest about it. If Ty asked how you were feeling you’d simply say you were fine; if Rikky ever asked you’d tell him you felt like Tondy Hamk was overrated, then run away from his inevitable attack for the blatant disrespect of his skateboarding hero, Tony Hawk. Even with King you’d keep your answer short and sweet, maybe mentioning a rising hunger knowing that he’d make you something yummy.

But with Mark you can be honest. You can tell him every thought that’s running through your mind, every feeling that strikes your heart, and he’ll listen. He’ll listen and be there and by the end of it you always feel better.

“I’m okay, just confused about everything still..” brushing some hair behind your ear, you give Mark a sad smile. He’d become all too familiar with the internal battle you were having with yourself over everything. King was your family but Johnny was a part of you. If King was responsible for Johnny’s death then you would have to lose him too and you weren’t sure if you could handle that.

“I saw King last night, I think he was drunk,” Mark takes note of the way your jaw twitches and gaze falls to your hands at that, “he seemed sad Y/N, like…. I don’t know, just...not okay?”

“I don’t know what to do,” you look up with glassy eyes at the boy who always makes you feel better, except this time with the fear that it’s too much, “I think King killed Johnny.” Before the first tears could even begin to fall Mark had moved to sit next to you, pulling you into his chest and holding you tightly in his arms. The thought that King could be behind all of this kills you but right now it’s the only thing that makes any sense; especially with how he’s been acting lately; there was no other explanation.

Mark rests his chin on top of your head, planting a soft kiss there and whispering promises that it will all be okay. “Don’t worry Y/N, we’ll figure it out, for Johnny, I promise.”

“You can’t promise that,” you sniffle, lifting your head from his chest to stare at his impossibly beautiful face, letting him wipe away the remnants of tears from your cheeks.

“Well I do,” he whispers back, sincerity dripping from his words and a loving smile gently putting you at ease.

“Here you go kids,” Walt suddenly appears placing two plates stacked full of pancakes down on the table in front of you, ignoring the way you’re both still cuddled up close if he noticed, “I’ll be right back with another pot of coffee.”

“Thanks Uncle Walt,” you call out as he walks back behind the counter and Mark moves back to his seat opposite you.

“You two are adorable,” Walt comments when he comes back, topping up both of your mugs, “you remind me of me and my wife back in the day, man those were the times,” Walt’s adoration for his wife was never ending and the way he often gushed about her to people was the way all girls hope to be talked about by the one they love - that doesn’t mean it wasn’t making you both blush uncontrollably as Walt continues to list the comparisons; but it was lightening the mood and lifting your heavy spirits slightly.

With a sigh, Walt puts a hand on both of your shoulders and wishes you a good meal, it’s only after he walks away that he sends you a not-so-subtle wink and thumbs up over Mark’s shoulder.

“Tell me something,” Mark says, waiting till you’d just stuffed a large piece of pancake into your mouth, just to watch the way your face scrunches up when you try to swallow it all down quickly.

“Like what?”

“Like… what are your dreams?”

“My dreams?” You almost laugh, “I don’t have any dreams.”

“What! Everyone has dreams” Mark insists, “What’s something you’ve always wanted to do, outside of all of this?”

No one’s ever asked you that before, so it takes a moment for you to think. Mark watches silently as you do, taking in every subtle look on your face as you wrack your brain for a dream. He was in so deep and he knew it, that the simplest thing as the crease in between your eyebrows when your nose scrunched, or the way your eyelashes fluttered together each time you blinked, sent shock waves straight to his heart.

“Disneyland,” You answer after a while, “the one in Paris though, not Florida.”

“Disneyland, interesting,” Mark raises his eyebrows at you in surprise, but something about the innocence of your big dream being Disneyland when your life is full of such action and violence makes him smile at you even more.

“What? Is that funny?” You question the look he’s giving you, shovelling the last of your pancakes into your mouth.

“It’s not funny. It’s cute,” he assures, checking off the second time he’s made you blush today when your ears turn a bright scarlet.

[allthetonyships]

Hi Liz! First off, I just wanted to thank you for making this blog and writing for us all! Secondly, may I request an IronFalcon road trip au? Like the two of them for some reason they don't get along and they were tricked into going on a road trip by the others because they were tired of all the fighting. Thus, getting some actual conversation btwn them and some bonding moments?

‘’This wasn’t my idea,’’ Sam says. Tonyignores him, as he steers the van in the dark of night. There’s no othervehicle to be seen anywhere on the road. They’re on their way back to New York,but they’re not nearly there yet, which would explain why it’s so silentoutside. When they’ll get close, Tony knows the roads will be full of traffic,no matter what hour it is.

‘’To be honest,’’ Sam continues, ‘’Idon’t know how you didn’t see this coming. Aren’t you some sort of genius?’’

‘’Sorry for believing Steve,’’ Tonysays. ‘’You’d be nagging at me too if I’d refused him.’’

They’re on their way back from a missionon the other side of the country. Their teammates – probably Natasha – havetaken their phones, and while they’d gotten into a jet to get back to theCompound, they’d left Sam and Tony in the van to ‘’kiss and make up’’. Tonycould figure out a dozen other ways to get home, but he knows Steve well enoughthat he would figure out an even worse way to make him get along with Sam, sohe’s going along with the forced road trip.

Besides, it’s sort of a vacation. Evenif it’s with a guy that loathes Tony.

Sam crosses his arms. ‘’You can’t tellme you don’t know another way to get home,’’ he says, echoing Tony’s exactthoughts.

Tony huffs, and takes a turn to theright. ‘’Right. And get Steve mad at us for not even trying this thing. Look,just sit there and listen to the music, and they will stop trying to force usto be friends once they see it’s not going to work.’’

‘’It’s not my fault you hold grudges,man,’’ Sam grumbles.

Tony looks at him for a second beforefocusing on the dark road again. A small red car passes them. Tony wonderswhere its passengers are going, and why they’re in the middle of nowhere atthis time of the day – well, night. ‘’My fault?’’ he repeats, but then sighs.‘’Sure. Whatever you say. Look, I’m getting tired. Do you want to take thewheel, or should we go take a nap?’’

‘’I can drive,’’ Sam says curtly.

Tony pulls over, and they wordlesslytake each other’s places. Tony can still feel the warmth of Sam lingering inthe car seat, his faint smell all over it. He closes his eyes as Sam starts upthe motor, and falls asleep.

~*~

The daylight is what wakes him. Tonyblinks against the sun, looking up at Sam, who’s still driving. There’s morecars on the road, now, as they’re out on the highway. ‘’Finished your beautysleep?’’ Sam says, without looking at him.

Tony sits up straighter. ‘’Where arewe?’’ he asks.

‘’Not anywhere close to New York yet,’’Sam answers, ‘’but we can look for breakfast in one of the cities we’re goingto pass soon. You hungry?’’

‘’I could eat,’’ he answers, curiouslylooking at their environment. A huge black car passes them. ‘’I can take overafter, if you want.’’

Sam looks over at him, and Tony has somedifficulty reading him. ‘’Yeah, great.’’

~*~

‘’Here, I got you something,’’ Sam says,throwing two sandwiches at him. They’d agreed previously that Tony can’t goshopping while they’re on the road, as he would get recognized too easily. Samis pretty well known too, as an Avenger, but he’s less likely to get overrun bystar-struck fans.

‘’Thanks,’’ Tony says, taking a bite ofthe first one. It’s pretty good.

They munch quietly on the sandwiches fora while. It’s comfortably warm in the van, as the sun shines on them, but Tonyitches to get going again. He’s never been very good with sitting still, and hedoesn’t have his phone anymore. He could get a new one, but he thinks Sam wouldoppose him.

‘’Look,’’ Sam says eventually, whenthey’re finished eating. Tony looks over at him, surprised. They haven’t talkeda lot since they got started. He knows Sam doesn’t like him, and he can’t forcehim to. He’s accepted that long ago. ‘’We’re obviously here because everyoneelse thinks we can’t get along. I’m not saying we have to be best friends, butmaybe they have a point. Maybe we should make an effort? It’s going to take usa few days to drive back, so we may as well give it a try.’’

Sam looks somewhat uncomfortable as he’ssaying it, and Tony looks out of the window. ‘’Don’t worry about it,’’ heanswers easily. ‘’No one’s going to hold it against you if you don’t like me,Sam.’’

‘’Well, why don’t you like me, then?’’Sam says. ‘’We can start there.’’

Tony raises his eyebrows, looking overat the other man. ‘’I like you just fine,’’ he shrugs. ‘’I’m just saying, don’tworry. You don’t have to like me in order for us to be a team. I know half ofthe team doesn’t like me, and the other half just ignores I’m there. They’llget it, it’s hard to be civil around me.’’

‘’Why?’’ Sam demands.

‘’Why what?’’ Tony returns. ‘’I know youthink I’m an annoying billionaire who thinks too highly of himself and doesn’tlike playing in a team. Look, I’m just saying, don’t get out of your way to dosomething barely anyone can do, which is being my friend. A lot of people havetried and failed.’’

‘’I don’t dislike you,’’ Sam counters.‘’I thought you hated me.’’

Tony laughs at that. ‘’What for?’’ hesays. ‘’Everyone on the team loves you, Sam.’’

‘’The Civil War,’’ Sam says softly.‘’Rhodey’s accident. I thought you were mad about that.’’

Tony is silent for a long while beforehe speaks again. ‘’If I held a grudge for everything that was said and doneduring that period, I wouldn’t be here right now,’’ he says eventually.‘’You’re pretty tight with Rhodey. I know he doesn’t hold it against you, soit’d be hypocritical if I did.’’

‘’Well, you’re his best friend,’’ Samshrugs.

Tony looks at him. ‘’Sam, I don’t have aproblem with you,’’ he says earnestly. ‘’Honestly? I think it’s a great thingyou joined the team. You’re fun to be around and you’re a good addition to anymission we’ve been on. All of us value you.’’

‘’But you don’t like me.’’

Tony leans back in his chair. ‘’That’snot true,’’ he says carefully. ‘’Look, I’ve been here since the Battle of NewYork. I was here at the start of the team, but sooner or later, there’s goingto be enough members for me to step out. I’m just trying to – not get attached.I’ve done it my whole life, so don’t take it so personal. You’re a great guy,and I know I’m not.’’

Sam stares at him. It feels personal,the two of them sitting there in the small space of the van, in the middle of avillage they’ve never been in. Tony sighs. He knows his worth, but it seems Samhas never seen it like this.

‘’Tony –‘’ Sam starts, but Tonyinterrupts.

‘’We should get driving,’’ he says,opting for a cheerful voice. ‘’It’s still a long way out to New York. I’ll takethe wheel, you can take a nap.’’

‘’Yeah,’’ Sam says, and they switchagain. Tony purposefully ignores the looks his teammate sends him as they startdriving again.

~*~

The day is very uneventful. They switchdrivers a few times, and stop to get gas, but they don’t say a lot except toverify the direction they’re going. Sam buys two pizzas from a shady pizzeria,and they eat the greasy food in the van at the side of the road while the sunsets.

‘’Maybe it’s a good idea to just sleepin the van tonight,’’ Sam says, as he’s on his third slice. ‘’Get rested reallywell. The napping works, but I’d prefer a good night’s sleep for a change.’’

‘’Sure,’’ Tony says. He’s used to onlynapping, because he doesn’t think he’s had a full night’s sleep since he wastwenty, but it may be nice to lie down in the van instead of sleeping in aseating position. He’s not as young anymore, and it really is uncomfortable forhis back and neck.

‘’What do you think Steve would say ifhe saw us like this?’’ Sam says unexpectedly. ‘’Would he make a snobbish remarkabout how bad pizza is for your health?’’

Tony laughs. ‘’It’s his fault we’re hereanyway,’’ he remarks. ‘’Steve isn’t that bad. I’ve seen him eat three pizzas ina row.’’

‘’Yeah, but he can take it. He’d make usrun three laps to make up for it,’’ Sam says. ‘’We’re just regular humans whowill get fat eventually, after all. Well, I am, at least.’’

‘’Steve’s given up the hope I ever willrun laps,’’ Tony says. ‘’But hey, I’m just a regular human, too. Nothingsuperhuman going on here.’’

Sam smiles at him, and Tony looks away.‘’I do like you, you know?’’ Sam says. ‘’I don’t think you’re an annoyingbillionaire. I think you’re smarter than I even can imagine, and that you’rewitty, and I like that you can be so passionate about things. You’re generousand kind, but you don’t want people to see, so you’re sarcastic to hide it.You’ve been through a lot, and you’re still here fighting the fight. That makesyou a really strong person, Tony.’’

Tony doesn’t say anything, mainlybecause he doesn’t know what to say. Sam puts down his pizza, standing in frontof him.

‘’I’m not,’’ Tony just says. ‘’I’m justme.’’

Sam tilts his head, slightly. Tony hasto look up a bit to meet his eyes, so he stands up straighter, even if Sam getscloser. ‘’You deserve to be liked,’’ Sam says. ‘’I’ve seen other people, whowere so convinced that they weren’t. But you really are. More than anyone elseI know.’’

‘’If I’m so likeable, why was everyoneso convinced we needed to go on a road trip to be able to like each other?’’Tony says, heart beating loudly in his chest.

Sam’s face is so close that he can counthis eyelashes. Tony pretends not to notice. ‘’Maybe because they don’t see whatI see,’’ he says softly. ‘’But that’s on them. Maybe they did see, and wantedme to. You’re great, Tony. Anyone would be lucky to befriend you.’’

‘’I think you’re pretty great too,’’Tony says, trying not to take a step back. ‘’Sam?’’

‘’Yeah?’’ Sam answers.

Tony kisses him, and as Sam presses himcloser, he thinks the other man is pretty okay with that.

~*~

Tony listens to the sound of the carspassing by as he lies in the dark. Sam’s breathing pretty regularly beside him,but he can’t sleep. He keeps thinking about the odd turn this road trip hastaken, but honestly, it’s going unexpectedly well. He knows what kind of man Samis, and that kind is one of the best. They may not know each other very well,but they know enough.

Perhaps, he thinks, this is a goodthing. There’s plenty of time to get to know each other really well, on thisroad trip. Maybe they can even take a somewhat longer route. If Sam’s notopposed to that, of course.

Sam mumbles something, and then turns,encircling Tony in his arms. ‘’Stop thinking,’’ he murmurs, pressing a sloppykiss to Tony’s head. ‘’Sleep.’’

Tony smiles softly, and snuggles intoSam’s embrace.

He’ll have to thank Steve, when they gethome.

[thorsdiana]

Tell me aaaaaall about Sofya, Helena, Valerie, and Kiara. Put it under a cut if you have to!! I want all the tea!!!

ahhh i love you so much jen!!! you really came through for me 💖💖 okay this is gonna get hella long so i’m gonna put my answers under the cut bc there’s just so much i gotta say!!

SOFYA VOLKOVA

so here’s the tea on sofya volkova! her story is called “budapest” she’s paired up with my queen, natasha romanoff. and her story is full of sadness lol. on new years day in 1937 (aka her 9th birthday), her parents who were well respected scientists for the soviet union were killed in her home and she witnessed their death. she was later taken in by a name named viktor grankin, who encouraged her to join the red room academy under the idea that she could one day get revenge for her parents’ death. it’s during this time that she meets natalia romanova, and the two often clashed that lasted nearly a decade. but they eventually came to respect one another as assassins and eventually led to a relationship that remained hidden from their handlers.

viktor grankin was her handler during her time and he set her on missions that they believed would lead her to her parents’ killer. she would later earn the alias “sparrow” which was given to her by viktor himself. during one mission, she learned that the man behind her parents’ death was none other than viktor. she tried to take him out but failed, but she faked her death (also ending her relationship with natasha) and remained in hiding as she worked up a plan to ruin viktor and kill him. 

she was inspired by the infamous line in the avengers where natasha and clint mention budapest. and since we don’t know what happens, i decided to make sofya and she’s the budapest mission lol. basically clint and natasha get word of a dangerous assassin that they’re meant to take out, and nat is SHOOK bc her old girlfriend is alive and well but also dead set on killing viktor (who basically was given something similar to natasha and sofya). 

her story is so sad bc she’s lost so much and was used by viktor for 21 years. and in order to get her revenge, she had to leave the only person she’s loved since her parents??? and now she’s like a stranger in natasha’s eyes but natasha doesn’t want to lose her again?? i love angst lol!!

HELENA HARTLEY

here’s the tea on my mom, helena hartley! her story is called “second chances”. so’s a revived oc of mine from yeeears ago and i think i love her a lot more now than i did before lol. but she’s the ex-girlfriend of tony stark and the mother of the beautiful lauren stark. she met tony back in 1990 at a science convention and she honestly couldn’t stand him but he always flirted with her and it was cute as heck. they clashed a lot on ideas but they also really enjoyed the bickering?? and formed an interesting friendship. but after the death of tony’s parents, helena was always there for him and something more bloomed.

tony didn’t admit his feelings until like 1992. tony was always supportive of helena’s dreams of being an engineer and even got her a job at stark industries. their relationship resulted in the birth of their daughter in 2001, but they never got married. there were also a LOT of cute dad!tony moments like he spoiled lauren to the point where her only way to sleep was on someone’s chest and listening to their heartbeat. or he loved mentioning her whenever he could during an interview bc he was so proud!!

but tony was prone to self-desctruction and it put a strain on their relationship that eventually ended in 2005. but despite their breakup, they always made sure lauren wasn’t too negatively affected and remained coordial for her sake. helena left stark industries and became an engineer at northrop grumman. but when tony needs help making the jericho missile, the first person he wants on his team is helena (but honestly it’s partially bc he misses her and is still in love with her).

their story is gonna be filled with angst (especially during the iron man movies) bc helena is trying to date other men but tony keeps finding his way back into her life, then tony goes missing and it messes up helena AND lauren (who’s like really young during this time so OW) and then when tony becomes iron man and how lauren is constantly worried about her dad.

i’ve also planned to have helena being an inhuman but it doesn’t get found out until later. and her power was going to be technology manipulation bc i didn’t want her to be a full on hero but have something a little different.

VALERIE BYERS

um so i really love my time traveling bby girl!! she’s one of the three main characters of my fic, “timeless,” and the other main characters are my cyborg bby boy jai graham (who was created by the queen shuri herself) and sarah wilson, who’s the younger sister of sam wilson. so valerie is the only child of tony stark and her mother was an old girlfriend of his named susan byers. their relationship was never liked among susan’s parents and though it ended, susan found out that she was pregnant but never told tony. in fact, valerie never found out about tony being her father until she was 15.

valerie would try to find ways to meet tony, such as going to different conventions he held or was a guest at. but after the battle of new york, she realized how much she needed her father. her mom was paralyzed during the event and it wasn’t until valerie was 20 when susan finally passed. valerie then made it her business to get a job at stark industries, which she luckily did. she would work under tony, but never tell him the fact that she was his daughter.

but due to the events of infinity war, and tony is believed to have died after last being seen going into space, and the avengers fail to save the world from thanos, valerie’s life goes to shit. 

since “timeless” is basically one big au and my own spin on infinity war, thanos actually takes control of earth after the big snap and the chitauri still roam earth. it’s kinda like an apocalyptic setting and humans aren’t as free to do much and the chitauri controls a lot of what happens???

but anyway, valerie meets jai and sarah when she’s out looking for scraps to build stuff and jai and sarah and they come up with the idea fo build a time machine and valerie is the perfect brain needed for the job to help create it. their plan is to go back to different points in time to assist the avengers and stop them from breaking up (bc they believe them being apart was a downfall) and try to find the infinity stones and destroy them so thanos can’t get his hands on them.

and they all lost something in the war; valerie lost her father, jai lost his creator/mother (he really never got to meet her bc she died and her last thing she did was setting him free), and sarah lost her brother who turned to ash. but one happy thing is that valerie is paired up with jai but they’re gonna be hella cute and make s.carlet.vision look like nothing compared to them lmaoo. 

KIARA WILLIAMS

finally, we have my pretty bird kiara! her story is “icarus” and i created her maybe a year or two ago??? she was inspired by the line where sam mentions wanting to impress the lady who worked at the va, and kiara is that lady!! she’s got a younger sister named layla and kiara is also an inhuman (the mcu has ignored them and i love them so i gotta include them lol). her father, raymond, is also an inhuman and he brought her to afterlife where she got the help after going through terrigenesis in her early teen years and gained the power of wing manifestation. when she finally returned to society, her relationship with layla was strained, but they’ve been working hard on fixing it.

she tried her best to live a normal life, getting a job as a receptionist at the va in washington dc and eventually meeting sam wilson (who she’d admire from a distance lol). but when steve rogers comes in and plays a wingman for sam, they start to become friends that eventually leads to something more. 

kiara eventually becomes an avenger and gains the alias “icarus” thanks to a cute interaction she had with sam years prior. basically when it was believed that shield attacked afterlife (which kiara just so happened to be at the moment) kiara was hit in the line of fire and barely made it out with her life and it’s that day when sam finds out about her being an inhuman and her powers. he’s really sweet and helps her heal and he makes a joke saying “i guess icarus flew too close to the sun” and it’s just been her nickname ever since.