#the one who kicked me in the head wasnt wearing shoes and was far away enough that he didn't really hurt me

[smowkie]

If you get this, answer with 3 random facts about yourself and send it to the last 7 blogs in your notifications, anonymously or not! Let’s get to know the person behind the blog. Be Safe out there 💜❤️️💜

I was tagged to do this by @rieraclaelin, so here we go, let’s see if I can think of three whole things about myself. That’s... not easy tbh xD

1. I am both the youngest and tallest of my siblings.

2. I had a pretty bad overbite when I was a kid and I got this big ass headgear braces thingie to wear at nights, but I hated wearing it (I couldn’t talk!!!), and my mom didn’t have the heart to force me to wear it as much as I should (like 12 hours/day for six months, I usually only wore it when I was actually sleeping, and not every night) and then when I got back to the dentist to check the progress he was all “Oh, this is great, you’ve been really good at wearing the bracers!” and both mom and I were all “Uh-huh, totally, super good!” xD

3. I have been kicked in the face by a horse, stepped on the chest by another horse, fallen off a third one and broken my arm. I love horses ♥

So! My latest notifications are: @mischiefashale @cute-untagged-shit @hedgecats @lena221bee @lunapiero @wildwildtarget @evelynegrey

And as always, no pressure if you’re tagged, these are all supposed to be for fun! ♥

[shysneeze]

changing seasons (george weasley x fem!reader)

changing seasons 

description: adult relationships are complicated and painful, a fact George and the reader now far too well 

warnings: angst, a fleeting allusion to smut, brief passing mentions of food. 

a/n: excuse any typos, i wrote this as 3am and wasnt wearing glasses.

...

(Y/N) (Y/L/N) always comes when George least expects it, a knock on his door that turns a normal day into a fond memory. Even ruffled from international portkey travel, tumbling into the apartment to collapse tiredly on the couch, messy and unorganised, her arrival sends a smile straight to his cheeks every time.

Today she appears in the shop, grinning at him from the door and waving dramatically at him. He’s barely out from behind the till before she’s launching herself into his arms with a squeal.

“George!” She exclaims. “I’ve missed you!”

He takes a second to respond, dazed again as he usually is by her sudden appearances. He waits until he’s placing her down on the ground again to answer with a smile.

“I’ve missed you too, (Y/N).” He chuckles. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“The shop or the country?”

“Both.” He snorts.

“Well, as MACUSA recognises my top notch auror qualities, they’ve rewarded me a holiday and i figured the best place to spend it would be with my favourite red head”

she blinks up at him with a smile, one that has his grin growing wider, a talent she’s perfected after years of practice. She was his bestfriend through Hogwarts, before she moved to America for her dream job. Her visits though, can makke it feel normal, as though she never left in the first place.

“Don’t let Fred hear you say that.” He jokes. “You’ll bruise his ego.”

“You appear to be running the shop on your own today.” She observes. “Plus he could do with his ego being taken down a few.”

“He’s out on a lunch date with Angelina.” George informs. “He’ll be back soon for you to bully.”

“The excitement is killing me already.”

Grinning at her, he can’t help the urge to pull her into a second hug, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he always does when she comes back from the states, making up for all the hugs they’ve missed .

“Listen, the afternoon rush is about to start...” He admits once pulling away. “You can wait upstairs if you like.”

“That sounds great.”

“You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen.” He assures. “Most of its Fred’s.”

She nods, giving him one final smile and making her way up the stairs as has become her tradition after arrival. Right on cue, George calls her name softly and she turns back to him again to catch the warmth in his eyes.

“It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be here, Georgie.”

...

She’s lying on his sofa wearing one of his shirts when he retires from work for the day. Head flung back against one of the arm rests, she holds a book above her, precariously hung from her finger tips as she reads.

He can feel the warmth flooding his chest at the sight and he’s quick to kick his shoes off to join her, flopping down on to the cushion at the other end of the sofa and stretching his legs until they tangle with her own.

“How was your shift?”

“Grueling.” He confesses with a chuckle. “Did you steal all the biscuits?”

“Only the ones I like.”

She seems to finish the chapter she’s on before shutting the book, sliding it onto the coffee table. She gifts him a soft look, sitting up to our stretch her hands in an attempt to express her desire for a hug, one he’s seen so often he doesn’t even need to decipher it.

As is their usual routine, he mimics her action until a grin stretches at her lips and she’s clambering forward and landing haphazardly on his chest, her head beneath his chin and her arms wrapped around his torso.

Her visits might be sporadic and often brief, but to George they’re everything. It’s a relationship not many have tried to understand, the way she appears on his doorstep and in an hours time ends up on his arms, all without the label of being his girlfriend.

They wouldn’t trade it though, not the conversation, the cuddles or the kisses, for a anything else the world could give them.

“Thank you for always being here for me whenever i get back.” She whispers into the quiet apartment. “You’re the best.”

George is almost too distracted by the rise and fall of her chest felt on his, on the way her gentle breaths fill the silent apartment and how she fits him perfectly, as if they were made for this exact situation. Then, kissing her head gently he replies.

“Anything.” He exhales. “Anything for you, (Y/N).”

The next thing she wants to say is always too far, though it’s absence lingers in the air, palpable almost. No matter how much it’s true though, she can’t bring herself to say it, the thought of doing so cracking her heart into pieces, because it wouldn’t be fair.

Telling George she loves him would cross a line that would only make their unspoken arrangement more complicated, but it’s sits their on her tongue threatening to burst out with every touch, every squeeze of her hips, of his finger tips on the nape of her neck as he pulls her closer and the feel of their lips pressed together.

...

He’s perfected the act of pretending not to notice that she’s pulling away to leave again, of acting as though he can’t hear the American twang in her voice sometimes, a reminder that in a true reality, she live miles across the world. 

They spent their time wrapped in their own cocoon, hidden from the world of those who don’t understand that a week of love is enough to make up for a year of silence, of frost covered gardens and wilted wild flowers.

He tells himself over and over that it’s enough, but as the days go on, the unspoken words are louder than the others. Affectionate conversations spoken into hushed silences in his bedroom begin to fill with holes where the truth should lie. The truth that in a few short days she’ll have to leave.

It comes just over a week after her arrival, and in her usual fashion, she slips from the covers in the early morning, grimacing as her top toes footsteps are annunciated by creaky floorboards just as she’s trying to sneak away.

She fixes him one last glance as she stands in the door way ready to leave, an aching longing in his bones just to crawl back into bed again, to live the rest of her life with him here in this apartment.

However, an adult life of work calls for her in the states, and has her reluctantly turning her back on George, sleeping soundly, oblivious to her departure as she creeps down the hall.

She’s flinging her shoes on when Fred appears from the other rend of the narrow corridor leading the the front door, arms folded across his chest with a frown. She stills from her ministrations, gulping at the angry look he’s giving her.

“You’re away again.”

It’s not a question, but a painful truth to which she can only nod and drop her eyes guiltily. Fred sighs loudly, shaking his head in disapproval.

“I’m sorry.” She exhales. “I don’t like leaving.”

“Why do you?”

“I have work, Freddie.” She sighs. “You know how hard i worked for this job and I can’t lose it-“

“But you’re quite happy to lose him.”

She flinches, biting her lip to avoid tears. Fred’s always disapproved, ever since she announced her job plans all those years back at Hogwarts. He could see the thought of losing her breaking his brother’s hearts, but he could also see it just as obviously on her own face every time their eyes met.

“That’s what’s going to happen though.” He continues. “He’s going to get fed up of the week long visits and shitty letters.”

“It’s a demanding job-“

“it’s a great job, (Y/N).” He assured sadly. “We’re both very proud of you for it and you had to give up so much to get it, but you were supposed to give up George... it would be less painful for both of you to give him up.”

“I can’t give him up.” She informs guiltily. “It’s selfish and hurts to leave but i can’t give him up.”

“You have to.” Fred informs. “You don’t see how he gets jittery every time an owl taps the window incase it’s you, or how, after you’re gone, it takes days for him to deal with the fact you’ve left again.”

She doesn’t realise she’s crying until he’s crossing the space between them pull her into his chest. He then a soothing hand down her back despite his anger and exhales a sigh as she begins to cry.

“I love him, Fred.”

“I know.”

“I’ve never loved anything as much as i love him.” She elaborates, though muffled my Fred’s shirt. “Leaving him hurts every time, but it would hurt more to say goodbye for good.”

“You need to make a decision.” Fred explains, pulling back to fix her a more sympathetic look. “If you love him as much as you say you do, you have to leave and stop coming back.”

Her breath catches with a chocked gasp, she blinks up at him, expelling fat tears that roll down her cheeks and his the wooden floor.

“You can’t keep stringing him out the way you are.” He says. “Because the more you leave the worse it gets.”

 It makes sense, it makes so much sense it hurts. She’s been clinging to him like the last frost of winter on newly forming buds. She’s holding him back selfishly from the chance of love with another, love with someone less complicated. She needs to let him go, she’s known it for so long but as she goes to explain it to Fred, it catches on her throat and a fresh set of tears fall from her eyes.

“Tell him I’m sorry.” She pleads. “Tell him that i love him.”

“Okay.” Fred nods. “I will.”

“Thank you...” She whispers shakily.

“I know.” He assures.

She nods, turning in a sort of daze to sort her shoes. She’s doesn’t offer Fred another hug, knowing it will only drag out the pain. Instead she opens the door of their flat and pauses in the doorway.

“Bye, Fred.” She says finally. “I-“

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt him.” Fred reassures. “Life got complicated after Hogwarts.”

“That’s one way of saying it.” She sniffles.

“He loves you too.”

She can only nod again, taking a deep breath as she steps from the apartment. Fred watched her go, heart pounding from what he’s just done, the inevitable the couple has been putting off until now.

He’s shutting the door when he hears footsteps behind him, turning to George, store triedly with a knowing look in his eyes.

“She’s gone.”

“I don’t think she’s coming back.” Fred admits. “I’m sorry, George.”

George shakes his head, shoving his hands into his pockets and holding his shoulders high to come across as unbothered as his brother comes toward him.

“She said she’s sorry.” Fred continues. “And that she loves you.”

Clapping a hand in his brother’s shoulder, Fred passed by him to put the kettle on for a warm drink. George stands crestfallen in the hallway staring at the shut door she’s just left.

She comes like spring, happy colours and bright days, but she leaves like summer, a threatened departure that goes on for ever until suddenly the dark is creeping in earlier and the bitter cold settles deep in his bones.

He’ll miss her like the heat of the sun on a cold autumn evening, he always does, but where there was always the anticipation of spring to come, there is only the dread of long cold nights alone.

[star-birthmark]

Hello! Welcome to the writing community! I'd like to request a fic (or hc/scenarios, w/e ur comfy w/ 😃) of a "Baby Driver" (skilled, stoic, like the movie 😃) accompanying La Squadra with a heist? Like they were hired to kill a dangerous, really powerful target and they would have people chasing them around so they needed a getaway driver who found themselves entangled in Passione instead of getting killed to settle their debt 😃 hope this wasnt too weird and specific. Thanks!!!

Okay, let me just say this was so much fun to write, especially watching scenes from the movie to learn what it was about. Here we are: 

 Taxi Service: La Squadra x Reader (1.5k words)

You had figured your life was over the moment you discovered that the people you thought you trusted, thought you loved were actually in cohorts with Passione. Times had been tough for you recently. The union was letting people off, and you got caught in the crossfire. You asked your closest friends, family, even, for money here or there, just to support yourself, selfishly expecting their unconditional love and trusting that you wouldn’t need to pay them all back. Your life had countless loose ends, but you trusted that you’d never become entangled. 

How wrong you were. 

When Risotto Nero found your file on his desk under the “debt not paid” category, he sent the job off to Melone without thinking too far into it. Melone sent off towards your rundown apartment, ready to hand you your inevitable demise. It wasn’t until Risotto received a call from Melone only a few hours later asking for backup that you first sparked the capo’s interest. 

“What do you mean she got away?” 

“She chased out Baby Face in her car and I lost track of her on my motorcycle! Get Ghiaccio here he’s faster!” 

When Ghiaccio instigated the second attempt on your life, you knew the months of begging others had finally caught up to you, so you chased off their efforts once again, your sharp turns avoiding the icy assassin. When Ghiaccio returned to the base, kicking the door off the hinges in unprecedented rage, Rissoto knew he had to meet you. Someone who could outrun his men not once, but twice? That’s someone he wanted. 

“This is insane! What? Do you not trust us?!” 

You sat next to Rissoto Nero, filled with sudden new confidence that the obviously powerful man saw something in you that he wanted to cultivate. You leaned back in your chair, smirking at the frustrated assassins before you. 

“What’s so bad about having a driver?” You ask. One of them, an impeccably dressed blond sneered at you. 

“Risotto, it’s just another person to add to the payroll! You’d be ruining the distribution of pay for all of the missions! Besides, we don’t need a getaway driver. We could sneak using the Mirror World, we could sneak out shrinking ourselves with Little Feet. We could get away with White Album. Hell, we could even sneak out using the Grateful Dead to disguise yourselves.” 

Now it was your turn to sneer. You had passed the test like the rest of the angry people standing in that room, you had proven yourself like any other. Staring Proscuitto squarely in the face, you open your mouth:

“I outdrove both White Album and whatever freaky stand Zoro had over there…” You point to Melone. 

“And when your capo first invited me to join your little group to pay off my debt instead of dying, I went straight to the files and looked into all of you. Little Feet’s takes a few minutes to fully shrink someone and you won’t have that kind of time. We already I’m faster than White Album. Sneak into the Mirror World all you want but won’t get you nearly as far away from the crime scene as a getaway car can. And with the ridiculous outfits, you’re all wearing, aging yourself is meaningless when you’re still wearing the same freaky clothes. Now either take my word for it that you need me, or I’ll have to prove it to you my self. Don’t think of me like some little taxi service that’s only meant to steal your paycheck. I’m not a replacement, think of me as a supplement to your stands to help you stay out of jail.”

You couldn’t tell, but Risotto was right behind you smirking to the floor, knowing he had made the right decision. With a heavy sigh, Prosciutto took a step back, admitting at least partial defeat. You smiled. Heavy silence remained in the room until the capo spoke. 

“Good. Now that that’s in order. Formaggio. Proscuitto. Your next target is a corrupt banker that’s been using people’s deposits for his own personal purchases and then not paying them back. He’s supposedly going to be eating dinner at one of the casinos around town. Once you kill him, someone is bound to call the police to chase you down. Hop in the car with (y/n) and make the getaway.” 

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

You watched them get out of the vehicle, Prosciutto giving you one last glance of ‘don’t fuck it up’ before heading inside the casino. You stared forward through the windshield, your fingers drumming on the steering wheel as music blasted through your earbuds. Ten minutes had passed, the two killers confirming that the hit would only take fifteen. You start preparing yourself, changing the gear shift, confirming the mirrors, the gas, etc. You watch the window inside the casino lobby, a woman’s violent scream demanding your attention until you see your two boys walk away. Your focus is glued on the windshield, palms clammy but ready. The two men make their way inside, Formaggio quickly starting to wipe the blood off his fancy shoes, while Proscuitto lights himself a cigarette. He eyes you not paying him any mind while the music blares into your ears, your foot revving up the gas pedal. A police siren creeps into the background noise. With a look behind him, Prosciutto gives you the signal before the car bolts ahead, the two veteran gangsters shocked back into their seats. It was a standard chase. One or two police cars versus the three of you. 

You allowed the police to follow your trail for a few blocks, Prosciutto badgering you that they were gaining. You kept looking off to the side for a sharp corner, ready to make your move. When the first chance arrives, you took it, swerving the car around without reservation, causing your passengers to yelp from the movement. The police were still on your ass as you zoomed through the streets of Naples. Thinking quickly, you make a sharp turn onto the highway, pushing the gas pedal to its limit as you drive over the lane barrier, whipping the car around to head in the opposite direction as the police. Formaggio watched the police cars shrink off in the distance and chuckled. 

“Got em…” You shook your head. 

“We’re not done yet. They’ve got buddies meeting us at the bridge for sure.” The two men looked at you with worry, stunned at your maintained calm in this situation. You squeeze between two cars of the same model as yours, distracting any backup from the air that the police may have supplied to catch you. You stay in the middle of the three cars till one of them heads into an exit, throwing off your chasers in the air. You make it onto the bridge to find a barricade of police cars waiting for you, not to mention the ones that have now found a way to chase you from behind. You squint your eyes looked at the lane barrier of the bridge before an idea captures you. There was a small gap in the barrier caused by damage that was a bit of way ahead of you.

“Formaggio scratch Proscuitto and I with Little Feet, as well as the car.” 

“Wait but-”

“Formaggio I swear to god scratch the fucking car!”

You ordered, not wanting to repeat yourself and yelling it to him. You were being sandwiched between the two police forces, seemingly nowhere to go on the bridge. Formaggio did as he was told and scratched you all, the car and people inside slowly but surely beginning to shrink. You turned towards the wall, ready to seemingly crash into it. Prosciutto held onto his seat, knuckled white from his neves. But you had timed it just right, the tiny car squeezing in between the crack in the barrier while also not giving the police cars enough time to hit the brakes, causing the two platoons to crash into each other head-on in a brutal mortal accident. Your small car slowed down along the side of the other lane, you calmly breathing a sigh of relief. 

You pull into a garage far away from town, stopping next to another car that had been set up by Risotto for your escape. You instruct Prosciutto to age you all, and with a quick growth spurt back to size, you change clothes and head into the other car, driving safely back to the hideout. 

“Woo Baby! What a ride! I haven’t felt that excited by a job in months!” You blushed, finally glad your efforts were being recognized. But you needed to be witty back.

“Glad you enjoyed it. But don’t call my baby big boy. I’m more a man that you are.”

“I don’t know, Baby seems like a good nickname…” He glanced over to the others in the dining room, them all nodding in agreement. 

Formaggio hand ruffled your hair with a chuckle, softly saying how he shouldn’t have doubted you. You watched the two men join the other members at the table for a beer, and you couldn’t help but smirk a little. At first, you were unsure about your powerful capo taking a chance on a taxi driver in debt.

Prosciutto eyed you standing by yourself in the doorway and smirked. 

“Come on Baby. Join us for a beer.”

But you know now, without a shadow of a doubt, that you’ve come to the right place.

[teamvnla]

Cutscene : The Lavender Gala

The twins travel back to the base was quiet, Lye seemed lost meaning Van had to lead her the majority of the way. The moment they stepped through the threshold of the loft, she kicked off her shoes and made her way to the bed not so much as greeting Kash or Russ. She threw herself onto the bed, grabbing one of the pillows she held it close to her body curling up around it.

"I take that it didn't go as planned?" Kash stated the obvious, he sat at the counter next to Russ who was going over some information on his scroll.

"Nope, I'll explain more later but how fast do you think we could get me a suit?" Van folded his arms thinking, his left leg began to bounce slowly.

Kash and Russ looked to each other before leaning in closer to Van, they recognized that he was coming up with a plan for something. The afternoon continued with the boys speaking in hushed voices in the kitchen as Lye remained up in the bedroom.

------

Nava grew up with events like these being prominent in her life, she grew used to the rooms full of people paired with the empty formalities. This was one of the more open ones, the focus being the latest Spring collection meaning they were playing to potential buyers as well as entertaining loyal investors. There was a dinner with music and dancing before the main event, no expense was sparred.

She managed to slip away excusing herself to the bathroom, the meeting with the twins had been weighing on her mind the entirety of the evening. She didn't care too much for these events, but her guilty consious wasn't helping her in the slightest to get through the evening. Her heels clicked against the marbled floors as she walked through the empty hall, she paused her stride glancing around make sure no one else was in the hallway before moving aside the curtains and slipping out onto the balcony. She closed the ornate glass door behind her quietly, the balcony looked over the main courtyard in the garden. She stepped out to the end, closing her eyes and basking in the chilly evening breeze.

The special thing about this particular balcony was that it was one of the few places on the estate that was considered a blindspot. It gave her the chance to breathe freely. Since her return many have practically pounced at the chance to use her to build a relationship to her parents. The majority of her social interaction felt hollow and rehearsed. Outside of Cinnamon and Slate those she considered friends were sparse.

"Y'know your securities pretty shit. They let me through no problem, I dunno if they just assumed I was part of the staff cause of my ears or if they were just so distracted dashing good looks and charm. Either way I expected more of a challenge."

Nava flinched at the voice, she hadn't heard him approach. She didn't even sense his aura, her lack of training was showing clear as day. She was getting rusty.

"Still so full of yourself I see." She looked him over, his hair was swept back out of his face, the suit he wore was one assigned to their staff for this particular event. If anything figured he ditched whatever tray he was suppose to have some vicarious way. Had she not known him she would have assumed he was just another staff member.

Van gave a grin, he leaned back against a wall bring a black wrapped cigarette to his lips. A orange glow illuminated his face as he lit the cigarette, the light caught his ruby red eyes making it look as though they were glowing.

Since leaving their meeting something didn't sit right with him, he considered himself good at reading people. So had he missed or overlooked something that would explain Nava's attitude, there was no way he had gone soft. He wasnt just being hopeful...was he? Optimism was never a good look on him, he knew that and still.

"What's your deal?" He asked her straight out, he tilted his head.

"Deal? I just came to my senses, is that so hard to believe." She rolled her eyes. "Why am I even humoring you, I should just call security."

"It is hard to believe." He stated ignoring her other statement, he took a drag from the cigarette. "Can ya guess why? Because the girl who's spouting off about how its nonsense for someone of her status to considering being a Hunteress is also the same girl who was seething when she saw people boarding air ships instead of staying behind to help. The same girl who told me it's our job to help people. Something that makes you home hmm isnt it?" He let out a puff of smoke, using the cigarette to point at her.

"Weren't you always one for theatrics? It useful to know what one favors when you have to play to them, ah but you know that quite well don't you. With your previous line of work." She knew he was sensitive about his time in the White Fang so she decided to prod at the topic.

"That's true, I think I'm pretty good at it. I'm pretty good at telling it apart too, only took me a day or two to pick apart the perfect little heiress act." It didn't seem to work, she had to press harder.

"Yet you couldn't pick apart the one that followed. The naive wide-eyed worked far better than I ever expected, even on a stone-cold killer like yourself."

"...." She watched as his gaze sharpened, he didn't respond.

"I already had to lower myself to point of sharing a room with not one, but two Faunus and one was also a killer. Can you imagine my shock, ugh it still makes me shiver how easy the other two accepted you. I bet they were just scared what you could possibly do to them while they slept, after hearing what you had done how could they not. It was like a monster in the closet except the monster was in the bed across the room."

Even with the lack of light she could the sharp snap of the cigarette as his jaw clenched, his hand moved for a brief moment she had thought he was going for a weapon instead he scratched at his forearm. It was a habit she noticed from as far back as when they were assigned on the team together, she had never pointed it out assuming she would have time another time to do so. Clearly she wouldnt, she was practically holding a torch to the bridge before her.

"Now why don't hop along little bunny, I already have one scurrying rodent serving me I dont need another at the moment." She felt guilty for how she was refering to him and Cinnamon, she knew neither of twins looked being referred to as bunny in such a way but she had to end this. "You should be grateful generosity, why is such a trait so hard to find in your kind."

"Tch." He tossed his cigarette off to the side stomping on it, he stepped forward not to Nava but passed her. Hopping up onto the railing, he spared a glancing at her before hopping off disappearing into the darkness and foliage.

She wait a few beats before she dropped to her knees, there weren't any cameras here she knew that and yet she still didn't try to apologize or inform of her current situation. Was she a bad person? She could have told him, knowing Van he could have helped her. Why didn't she just speak truthfully with him?

She brought her hands to her face and sighed heavily, she decided she would have a few drinks tonight. She stood up fixing her appearance before went to open the door and reenter the event. She felt thick cord like ropes wrap around her, in an instant her mouth was covered and limbs restricted. She tried to the activate her Semblance, her eyes went wide with fear as she couldn't even force open her palms. The cord wound tightly around her hands balling them into fist, who ever was behind this either knew her Semblance and did this intentionally or she just had really bad luck.

"That was far too easy." She heard an unfamiliar voice speak and a pair of footsteps land on the balcony.

"Wasn't she suppose to be one of the harder ones to snag?" The other figure commented as they approached Nava's tangled body, she could see any identifying features. Both figures wore heavy cloaks and peculiar owl mask. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Hearing a loud shattering of glass and the sounds of screams, she thrashed around in a panic.

"Stop that! Don't be troublesome." The figure that the aura rope seemed to be coming from spoke with an annoyed groan, she felt it tighten around her body. A strangled gasp slipped from her lips as it tightened around her neck as well.

"Hey! The doctor's going to get upset if she comes back too beat up." The first figure spoke again hitting the other in the shoulder.

Feeling the rope loose and a figure behind her she leaned forward before reeling back smashing her head into the face of one of her captors. The returned force of the mask hurt the crown of her head, but that hurt far less than the impact with the wall as she was slammed against it.

Her vision spotted before going black completely, the last she heard was alarms and shouting.

------

Van let out a frustrated groan, in a swift movement he raised his leg and turned. Venting some of his frustration by kick the streetlamp, the metal creaked as it bent forward. He hadn't intended to hit it so hard, he was just upset okay?

He gritted his teeth, the dress shows he was wearing weren't as protective as the metal toe boots he typically wore. He continued his walk home despite the stinging in his toes.

'I missed something I had to have missed something, I've been out of the game too long dealing with people is harder than Grimm. People can be unpredictable.....but they use to be so easy to read..'

'You've gone soft. You like her too much to believe she was playing you.' The voice in the back of his head countered. 'You should know better, Amorette was just the same.'

He scratched at his forearm, he needed to stop slacking. Lye, Russ, and Kash expected him to be their cool unfazed leader, he had to uphold their expectations.

It was far into the evening when he got home, he opened the door sliping the dress shoes off in the entrance. As the door shut blocking out the street light from outside his eyes sharpened and adjusted to the sudden darkness.

His gaze met another two other pair as Kash and Russ had stirred from their slumber, it was a habit that came with their line of work.

When both saw that it him they both returned to their previous position, Van grabbed a pair of pajama pants and headed to the restroom. The loft apartment didn't have a shower so he had to settle with washing the product out of his hair by shoving it in the sink.

He hung up the suit before joining to other two in his usual position it the middle, doubts and scenarios plagued his mind resulting in little sleep.

------

Jae awoke to sound of the TV from the main room, he didn't pay too much attention. He considered pulling the cover over his head and sleeping until late, but he knew that would only result in a scolding from Opal. With a groan he threw off the covers and got out of bed, make his way to the bathroom he shared with Leo. After washing his face and brushing his teeth he made his way to the main room of the suite, it was quite nice comfortable housing Jae and the three adults. The places they had stayed were all provided through the company Tarragon and Opal were under.

He passed Opal who was sitting on the couch watching some daytime news show, entering the kitchen he opened a cabinet and gathered what he needed for cereal. He sat at the counter lazily eating going over notes he had from his last session with Leo.

"...attack at the Lavender gala last night has resulted in 3 dead, 4 injured, and 9 missing. " One of the hosts from the talk show brought up, hearing the name caught Jae's attention. Since they arrived in Mistril he became more aware of how prominent the Lavender name was, it was somewhat jarring to see the face of the same girl who nearly burnt down the Beacon dorm's kitchen atleast once a week on the front page of multiple magazines.

It took a him a second to process what he heard, the conversation the host were having moved forward. He abandoned his cereal bowl to stand behind the couch, he stated at the tv his brows furrowing as more information was given.

"I thought you didn't like this show." Opal commented glancing at him over her shoulder.

"I don't, but I know her." Jae muttered a response, gaze focused on the screen as a slideshow of pictures of those missing were shown with their names listed.

"Who?" She ask, he pointed to the screen as another image of Nava popped up. "Nava Lavender? How? Wait, we've been in Mistril for how many weeks and you're just now mention you know the Lavenders?"

"I know one Lave-" He cut himself off as screenshots of security footage were shown, in most situation he would have written the situation off as the Lavenders needing to heavily update their security but the brief figures he saw at the edge of the screens told him this was more than that.

There barely entering the side of the screen were figures wearing ornate owl mask, she slideshow stopped with a mention of there having been a cut in the footage that they managed to get their hands on.

"Did you see that?" Opal gave a confused look before Jae took the note backing up into the program and pausing on the last screenshot.

"Call Cherry." She commanded standing up and rushing to the room she shared with Cherry to retrieve her laptop.

------

That morning the group had been out, Russ though taking Lye would help her get over the disappointment of the day before's meeting. They had seen her spiral before, so he didn't want to leave her alone in that state. He decided to take her to get groceries for dinner, maybe window shop some while they were out.

Van and Kashmere had head to a nearby guild for mission postings, taking lower rank ones helped with laying low and the people requesting tended to overlook their lack of official liscense. The only down side was the lower pay, the higher paying ones that would let them work were trickier to sniff out through just the description list"Wheres the next exam being held? If you and Lye go take it and get your official licenses you could sign as teachers for me and Russ." Kash suggested as he scrolled through the screen of missions, he was starting to grow bored with simple Grimm bounties.

"We could, but we dont have anyone to sign off for us. Our dad can't remember?" Van pointed out.

"Remind me why that is?" Kash knew that it had been mentioned to him before but he couldnt quite recall.

"The kingdoms dont recognize tribesmen as the same level as Hunters, theres a different category or something for them." Van explained in simple terms, his father had the skills of a Huntsman even more really and he had trained all of the Marigold children to the extent of unlocking their aura at the bare minimum. It ticked it off a bit to see someone so close to him skills go unacknowledged, but he knew that if the laws were to change suddenly many Hunters would be upset. In his opinion if the person had the right set of skills what did it matter if they went through the academies.

"That's kinda bullshit." Kashmere commented tone deadpan which earned a chuckle from Van, the rabbit's ears shifted picking up on a conversation nearby.

"They're seriously sending these out to posting all over Mistril?" A tall man stated with a surprised tone to his short companion.

"Crazy right? But if my daughter was missing I'd doing anything to get her back." The androgynous short figure next to the man responded.

"That's true, the Lavender girl was probably the perfect target for those creeps. She so sweet and docile, almost like a doll." The pair continued their conversation about taking the job or not.

She had made him so angry the night before, but hearing that she was missing made his stomach drop. Even if what she had told him was said with the intent to hurt, she had still been his friend. She was still the girl who cried during romcoms, the same girl who had her ears pierced in their cramped first year dorm room. He ran a hand through his hair growing frustrated with his own conflicted feelings.

"Let's head back, Lye and Russ are probably already back at the house." He gestured for Kash to follow him out of the building and start heading back to the apartment.

--

Russ held the paper bag filled with the ingredients they needed for dinner tonight, the pair took their time to look into the window displays of shops as they passed by. Lye's stride slowed as they passed a bakery, a few pastries would be nice to have to tomorrow morning.

"Let's grab a few." She nodded towards the door, she held it open letting him in first. Russ looked curiously over the sweet smelling confections that currently sat in the display. The bakery had a small coffee bar where a few people sat, their attention was directed at the small tv stationed on the wall, the women behind the counter watched as well.

Curiously Lye approached, on the screen was the tearful face of Koa Lavender. Her hands gripped the sides of the podium she stood at as she spoke her voice wavering every so often. The mother begged and pleaded calling on local Hunters to take up the mission the family was offering for Nava's return, struggling to get through her words she turned burying her face into her husband's chest who took over the conversation. Maru Lavender gave the numbers of where to find the information required to take up the mission, before giving a final plead as well as the conference finally ended.

"Poor girl, she must be worried sick." One of the patrons muttered, bringing her coffee cup to her lips.

"What happened?" Lye spoke up softly, her stomach was twisting in discomfort.

"Apparently there was an attack at the Lavender event last night, Maru and Koa's daughter was one of the people taken. They're offering a pretty hefty reward for her return." Another patron explained, expression compassionate as they looked at the screen.

Russ brought a few pastries before they left, Lye carried the box. She had gone quiet on their way back to the apartment.

"Are you worried about her?"

"Of course. Even if our meeting didn't go how we wanted it I never wished for her to get hurt."

"Well her parents seemed pretty adamant about doing everythin' in their power to find her so I'm sure it'll turn out alright." Russ tried to reassure Lye, her ears had folded against her head a clear sign of her shift in mood. 

"Oh?" He rose a brow noticing the figure standing in front of their apartment door, he moved to stand in front of Lye contious not able to see the strangers face yet.

"Cinnamon?" Lye muttered recognize the mouse Faunus from behind, hearing the name clicked instantly in Russ's head.

"What're you doing here?" Van voice surprised both Lye and Cinnamon as he and Kashmere approached from the other side.

----

"Please! I know how harshly Nava was in your last meeting, but you have to understand the position she in." Cinnamon looked at the group with wide pleading eyes, they had brought her in. Van suspension on why the Lavender servant had shown up at their door step.

"Why us?"

"I saw your fights from the festival and read your mission reviews, you two are skilled and I assume those who you travel with are as well, and someone under the radar such as yourselves would have an advantage in your search." She glanced to Kash and Russ briefly.

"We not official hunters, they wont offer us the job."

"I-I can get you the information. Just come with em to the estate and I can transfer everything to your scrolls."

"We can atleast see the information and see if it's in our range of abilities." Lye spoke up glancing to the others.

"That's not your desicion."

"But you gotta admit the rewards pretty appealing, would be useful." Russ placed a hand on Van's shoulder, he had a soft spot for Lye.

"That's only if we succeed with the mission..." Van paused looking between Kashmere, Russ, and Lye they were a team he reminded himself. "Do you all want to do this?"

"At least taking a look at the info doesn't sound too bad." Kash gave a small nod.

Seeing that the group appeared to accept her offer Cinnamon sat up hopefully. "Then let's make haste to the estate." She stood, the group needed a moment to gather their things and proceed to follow the mouse Faunus to the car she had taken their apartment.

------

"Showing up personally allows us not only a look at the incident area, but can give us a personal edge on the job." Opal explained as they approached the gate to the estate, she was quick in the preparations for this meeting. They likely wouldn't be permitted to see the heads of the house yet, but they'd be the first team to observe the area. As dire as the situation may be the family didn't intend to handle the information so sloppily.

"Cherry Tarragon, Opal Amas, Jae Aryl, Leo Cornel." Slate took note of the IDs on his scroll as the group was led to meet him at the front of the main building, the name Aryl caught his attention. What was it with Nava's old teammate showing up out of the blue.

"Follow me please." He began to lead them to a meeting room to give out the information they had currently and discuss any question they may have.

At the same time Cinnamon was leading her group through the back entrance through the servant quarters and through winding hallways. She would have to take them to a room out of the way to avoid crossing with any visiting Hunters.

All was going as planned until Lye came to a sudden halt at one of the gaps in the hallway that led down to the one over.

"Jae?"

"Lye?"

[tilltheendwilliwrite]

Qi Flows for Her

Chapter Two

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC x Bucky Barnes  |  Word Count: 5561 Warnings: Swearing

Celine stood on the pinnacle of the pretty bridge, staring out at the beauty of Central Park. Evening was falling, her favourite time of day. Long shadows were beginning to coat the buildings beyond the trees and deepened the ones beneath the foliage. The sound of the water under the bridge soothed her anxiety. The two males with her helped as well.

Peter was full of energy, vitality, and fun. Just like his aura, he bubbled with excitement.

It lifted her spirits.

Bucky, too, took her mind off of the drama which was likely unfolding high above in the tower. One would never know to look at him that he was from a different era. He fit quite well into this one. He laughed and joked with Peter about current sports teams and relevant celebrities. Even with the dark aura which hung around him, he had a soothing presence.

When Peter’s phone rang and he sighed, his aura dimming, she knew he was being called home. The little spider was still in high school and had other obligations. He covered his involvement with the Avengers, and as Spider-Man, by saying he was interning with Tony after having won some sort of scholarship. From what she'd seen of his intelligence, it was a good misdirection.

“It is alright, Peter. I am certain I will be here at least a few days.” If this alliance didn’t work out, she would make sure she got to say goodbye before she left. “Will you do me a favour, little spider?”

“Name it, Celine!”

She touched his cheek. “I would rather people not know about my… preferred food source. Can we keep the vampire comments between us?”

His face fell, the thought sobering, but he nodded. “I understand.”

His emotions rippled through his aura. She could feel his disappointment, both in keeping her secret and in how the others had reacted to her. Cupping his chin, she tilted his face up. “Peter, I am fine.” It wasn’t the first time others had reacted poorly to her.

“It's just… not fair. You’re on our side.”

“Hey, pal.” Bucky laid a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. Steve and I’ll look after Celine and help her fit in. This isn’t going to go there. This ain’t ending up another battle at the airport.”

“Promise?” He looked to Bucky.

Celine frowned, not really understanding the spiking emotions of the two males or the subtle nuances.

“Promise, pal.”

Peter heaved a sigh but smiled and nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you in a few days. If I’m not home in thirty Aunt May is gonna freak.” He took off at a run with a wave.

“Will he make it alright?” Celine asked.

“Parker?” Bucky chuckled. “He’s the web-slinger. He’ll make it.”

Celine leaned back against the edge of the bridge, resting her hands beside her hips. “What did I miss in that exchange?”

He sighed, leaning beside her. “When things went bad after the accords, it split the team. Steve and I were on one side. Peter was on Tony’s. After, when things settled down, and we all made peace, Peter got real attached to Steve. Pretty sure the kid didn’t want to watch the two of them go at it over you, so when he asked to come with…” Bucky shrugged.

Celine brought a hand to her mouth. “I told Charles… I’m not the right choice for this,” she whispered, shaking her head sadly.

“Hey now, it ain’t like that.” His fingers lightly touched the back of her hand.

She looked up to find his eyes full of kindness. “I can't let Wanda in. I can’t, Bucky. There are… things about me which I do not wish to have known. But I am not a danger to your team.”

“Dollface, I know all about people fuckin’ with your head. If you don’t want her running around upstairs, you ain’t gonna hear me protest.”

“Says the man most suspicious of my arrival.”

“Hey! I… that ain’t fair,” he grumbled, eyes twinkling. “I didn’t know you then.”

“You don’t know me now,” she said, pressing away from the railing and sauntering deeper into the park.

“I know no woman in her right mind would wear shoes like that to walk through the park.”

Grinning over her shoulder, she kicked up a foot. “These old things? You’d be surprised what I can do in a pair of stilettos.” There was an intense spike in his libido which she chose to ignore. This was her team now. She wasn’t going to feed on her team no matter how hungry they made her.

Both super soldiers had stirred something inside her with their initial meeting. The first brush of fingers had jolted through her, built a fire, and brought forth her innate sexuality. They made her hungry with so little effort. Sexual desire was not something she’d felt in many years.

It made her flirty. Too flirty. Dialling it back, Celine tucked her hands in her pockets.

His hand closed around her elbow. “Celine, I meant what I said to Peter. You do belong here. Steve and I will make sure the others see that too.”

She blinked at the determination she found in the set of his jaw. “Thank you, Bucky. I have… difficulty adjusting to new environments.”

“You okay, doll? You seem…” He shook his head.

She pulled her arm gently from his hold and walked on. “I have been a freak of nature since I was twelve. It should not surprise me when people fear and abhor me, but it still does. Peter’s easy acceptance, yours, and Steve’s… it’s unsettling. The only others who have been so accepting are Charles, Rogue, and Logan.”

“You ain’t no better or worse than the next person, Celine. Just cause you’re different doesn’t make you a freak.”

She laughed, the sound full of disbelief. “You do not yet understand, but you will. When you see… when you see what I am… and can say those words, mean those words, then perhaps I will believe you.”

“Celine,” he said, voice full of shock and aura full of sadness.

Turning her head, she smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. “It is alright, Bucky. I am used to being alone. If the team chooses to let me stay without demanding to look through my head, I will fight alongside you. But I do not expect you to be comfortable with me. I am not like you.” She motioned with her chin toward the tower. “Steve approaches.” Not yet willing to find out how badly she’d been rejected, Celine walked the other way to sit on a bench far enough from the two soldiers to give them privacy to speak.

***

Bucky had not felt this powerless since his time with Hydra.

Celine, this gorgeous, strong woman, one who sustained her own life off the emotions of others, was so clearly fragile and so deeply scarred he wanted nothing more than to drag her into a hug so tight, she would feel safe and protected for the rest of her life.

What had happened in the tower, that shit couldn’t happen again.

“Steve,” he said when the blond stopped at his side. “You rip Tony a new one?”

“Yeah. He’s really got to stop pulling this stuff,” Steve sighed, rubbing a hand over his mouth.

“He come down off his high horse, or he still demanding Wanda vet Celine?”

“Less of a comedown, more of a knocked off. Wanda won’t do it. I guess can’t do it is more the issue. Celine has shields the likes of which Wanda ain’t ever seen before. She’d barely approached Celine’s mind, and Celine noticed.”

“She belongs here, Steve. I promised Parker we’d look after her.”

Steve’s brow arched. “Weren’t you the one saying you didn’t like this idea?”

“Yeah, well, opinions can change. Celine… she needs us.” He didn’t know how he knew, he just did. “She’s… fragile, pal. For all her power, she’s broken inside. She expects us to work with her but not work with her, ya know? Just ghost along on the outskirts of the team.”

Steve glanced her way, noticing how her eyes were closed, her face tilted to the last rays of the sun. She was, truly, incredibly beautiful. Even here in the park, she was drawing eyes. “What she tell you?”

“Just that the only ones who trusted her were Charles, Rogue, and Logan. The fact that you, me, and Peter didn’t bat an eye threw her. She’s apparently used to being alone.”

“What?” Steve couldn’t believe it.

Bucky shrugged. “No matter what happens on this next mission, whatever she reveals herself as, we can’t let it phase us. I got a weird feeling, a gut feeling. She needs us.” His gut feelings back in the day used to be the ones that kept them out of the worst spots of trouble.

“I’m with you, pal.”

“You’d better be, punk.”

They smirked at each other before heading for Celine.

“So, it appears I am not banished from the team after all,” she called out once they were closer.

“Nah, you ain’t getting rid of us that easy.” She opened her eyes once they stood before her, and Bucky had his breath catch. “C’mon. You said you like food. It’s nearly dinner time, and Wanda was cooking tonight.”

She took his outstretched hand. The same jolt from the contact raced up his arm as before when he tugged her to her feet.

“What is the catch, Steve?” she asked once she was upright.

“How do you keep…?” He shook his head, a wry smile spreading across his lips. “Shoot. Am I that easy to read?”

“Like a book, Cap,” she chuckled. “You must be rubbish at poker.”

“Rubbish?” Bucky snickered.

Celine shrugged. “Charles is rather English. Some of his lingo stuck. It means Steve must suck something fierce at cards.”

“Hey, now! I’m not that bad!” the blond super soldier protested.

“Yeah, you are,” Bucky laughed.

“Big jerk.”

“Scrawny punk!”

Celine snickered. “How is this,” she flicked her hand like a game show hostess down Steve’s chest, “scrawny?”

“He was smaller than a flea before he let the Army jack him full of steroids,” Bucky said. “Thought I told you not to do anything stupid?”

“And I told you, you took all the stupid with you. There was no stupid left. Therefore what I did was patriotic.”

She burst out laughing as they crossed the street. “Are you two always like this?”

“Yes,” they said together.

Celine continued to laugh as she turned away from the main doors to the tower.

“That’s the wrong way,” Bucky called out.

She threw a grin over her shoulder. “As I have two such strong men at my disposal, why not get assistance with my luggage?”

Her walk had a distinct tone of sass to it Bucky preferred to the sadness she’d walked in earlier. He glanced at Steve and muttered, “I feel played. Do you feel played?”

“Don’t hate the player!” Celine called as she entered the parking garage.

Squealing tires had Bucky and Steve looking to the left, but Celine was already striding toward her car and never saw him coming until the lights from the speeding vehicle blinded her. She threw up her arms, and her power burst to life around her, but not soon enough to stop the speeding truck from slamming into her side and throwing her through the air.

“Celine!” Bucky and Steve yelled, racing toward her.

“Shit! I’m so sorry!” The driver was out of his vehicle, cellphone in hand.

Ignoring him for the moment, Steve and Bucky knelt to either side of the crumpled form of Celine. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she groaned.

“Doll? You okay? Just lie still. We’ll get some help.” Bucky pressed his hand gingerly down on her shoulder.

“I’m fine,” she said, batting at his hand.

“You just got hit by a truck! You ain’t fine.” Steve glared at the man who was continuing to babble about not seeing her and the coffee he’d spilled in his lap had distracted him.

“Bucky. Steve, I’m fine,” she reiterated, sitting up against Bucky’s pressing hand. “Just help me up.”

They both gaped at her before each took a hand and lifted her gingerly to her feet.

“Broke my favourite pair of shoes,” she muttered.

“That’s it?” Bucky gasped. “A shoe? You got hit by a truck, and it broke your shoe?”

She blinked at him. “Um… yes?”

“Jesus!” He threw up his hands, turned toward the driver and pointed. “Get the fuck out of here, and slow the fuck down!” The man was one he recognized from the tower, though Bucky wasn’t sure which department he was in. “You’re damn lucky she’s enhanced our you likely would have killed her!”

“Yes, sir!” the man scrambled to obey. “I’m really sorry, ma’am!” he shouted as he got in his truck and practically crawled out of the building.

Celine’s knees wobbled, and Steve grabbed her around the waist. “You sure you’re okay? We should let Bruce check you out.”

She patted his shoulders and pulled away. “Totally fine, promise. I’ve been hit with worse, and far harder.” She walked away, stopping only to take her shoes off and place them in a garbage can.

She got three inches shorter, and Bucky could have groaned. There was nothing better in his opinion than a woman with curves who would fit nicely beneath his chin. Celine checked all those boxes. From the look on Steve’s face, he wasn’t the only one who thought so.

She popped the trunk on her nearby car, pulled out two large suitcases and a third smaller one. From inside that one, she tugged a new pair of shoes.

“Do not tell us that one is just shoes.”

She glanced at Steve and smiled a secret smile but didn’t reply as she brushed off her feet and slipped into the new, shorter set of heels. Her pants had torn at the thigh, giving Bucky a flash of delicate flesh, and the back of her jacket was dirty, but she looked relatively unscathed for someone who’d taken a licking by a pick-up truck. “What’s not in your file, Celine?”

Her grip on the strap of the smaller suitcase she’d placed on her shoulder tightened. “Because I channel chi as I do, I am stronger, faster, and can hear better than your average human. I also… live longer.”

“How can you be certain?” Steve asked.

“I have not aged in twenty years.”

“What?” Bucky asked, stunned.

She simply shrugged. “I do not know how it works, or if I will age, or when. But I am very hard to injure.”

The two soldiers exchanged wry smiles. “Shit, doll. You’re more like us than we realized.”

“Except for the whole not needing to eat thing. I’m starving,” Steve chuckled, grabbing up one suitcase.

Bucky took the other. “Me too.”

“I could eat.” She blushed when they both looked at her. “Um, real food. I won’t need to feed for a few days.”

“We should have a mission by then. That work for you?” Steve asked.

Bucky watched something, a flicker of emotion he couldn’t place, spark in her eyes before she hid them behind her lashes.

“Yes, that will be fine.” Celine nodded, shut the trunk of her car, and followed them to the lobby entrance.

***

She stood within the confines of her suite of rooms and blinked in shock. “Here? This is… here?”

“What? Not up to X-men standards?” Bucky teased.

“We’ll have to tell Tony there’s something better somewhere else.” Steve chuckled.

Horrified, Celine shook her head and walked deeper into the sitting room. “No! That isn't what I meant at all! When I still lived at the Manor, we each have a room, but this is…” She ran out of words and just waved a limp hand.

The main space consisted of a seating area with couches, chairs, and an entertainment center. The wall across from her was all windows with a glass topped desk taking in the view of New York. There was a small kitchenette off to one side, a half fridge, sink, and cabinets. Through the open door, she caught a glimpse of a wide white bed, thick and plush and piled with pillows. A woman would feel like a Queen sleeping among the cloudlike softness promised in all that plush.

Gliding toward the windows, she let her case of shoes fall from her shoulder with a small thump. The walls were decorated in soothing colours. Paintings by various impressionist artists, ones she’d always adored hung around the room. She wondered briefly if Charles had made mention of her preference as it was something he would do.

She touched the soft cotton sheer which hung against the window. “It’s more than I expected.” Celine turned and smiled at the two soldiers standing together across the room. They exchanged a glance, one which she couldn’t decipher before two sets of stunning blue eyes returned to assess her.

“You want to change before dinner, Celine? You’re a bit… mussed.” Steve rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, a light blush of colour rising in his cheeks.

It hit her as being one of the most adorable things she’d ever seen. The big, strong soldier turning shy on her. She nodded, and they moved together before she could say any more to take her cases into the bedroom where she watched them toss them on the bed like they weighed nothing. The action caused the flare of desire to hit her a third time. Their strength was highly attractive.

When her hair fell forward over her shoulder, she glanced at it, noticed the way it was beginning to go from straight to wavy, and took a firm grip on her libido.

Working with these two could prove to be difficult.

She focused on her breathing, calming her rising sensuality and dialled back on her appeal until the wave fell out of her hair. When she looked up, she found them watching her. “What?”

“Something wrong?” Bucky asked.

She took the shades which still rode her head out of her hair and tilted her chin up as she set them on the dresser. “Not that I am aware of. If you gentlemen will excuse me.” She motioned toward the door.

They exchanged another one of those looks before they left, shutting her in the room alone. Clearly, they knew each other very well as that silent form of communication was powerful. Their auras fluctuated in concert with one another, showing deep friendship and loyalty. Steve and Bucky were brothers in the truest sense of the word. Related by blood or not, they were bound together at the deepest level. She’d only ever seen such connection in twins.

Celine walked gingerly across the room, proud of herself for holding it together as well as she had been. She wasn’t fine after getting hit by the truck. She had expended an enormous amount of energy to keep herself safe, but she hadn’t been fast enough. She had lied when she’d said she didn’t need to feed for a few days. She needed to feed now and eating with the team would do nothing but prolong her agony. Tonight, she needed to get out. Hunt. Appease the pain in her middle before anyone noticed.

Opening her case, she pulled out a loose, emerald green dress, stripped off her clothes, and walked naked into the bathroom where she lifted her hair and turned to see her back. Bruises ran the length of her spine and more covered her hip where the truck had connected. “Fuck,” she hissed softly, aware of the powerful ears of the super soldiers beyond the door. This was not good.

Celine pulled the sundress over her head. It floated down around her. Its handkerchief hem swirling in points about her calves. Spaghetti straps held it up, the silk clinging to her curves and highlighting her breasts and returned to the bedroom for a short-sleeved sweater. It didn’t seem to matter what she wore, everything screamed sex due to her nature, but the light cardigan adequately covered the bruises on her upper back. Still, she left her hair down, adding another layer of protection to make it through the next few hours.

Before opening the door, she knelt to the floor and pressed her hand to the carpet, allowing her consciousness to flow down. She sought out anyone nearby she could extract a little chi from to get through dinner, but there was no one close enough except for those upon this floor. The building fairly hummed with life, but there were too many floors between her and them.

Gritting her teeth, Celine pushed to her feet, pasted on a smile, and walked out of the bedroom. She would do dinner, show no weakness, then see about getting out of here for a few hours.

***

Dinner had been far harder than she'd expected. Especially as she never did get to eat.

Wanda had pulled her aside the moment the three of them appeared, apologizing profusely for her part in what had happened. The contrition and guilt in the Scarlet Witch’s aura proved her words true.

Celine had accepted graciously, assuring Wanda there were no hard feelings. She was merely doing what had been asked of her.

Bruce had approached afterward, having heard from Steve and Bucky about her run-in with the truck. He'd bombarded her with questions, getting rather intense as his excitement in her uniqueness grew.

She was saved by, of all people, Stark, who took her by the elbow and overrode every protest Bruce made.

Tony had tugged her across the room, seating her at the bar where he'd flirted, being both contrite and condescending, his emotions and aura showing what he really felt for her. He was wary. He didn't trust she wasn't there to cause problems. He wasn't sure this alliance would work or was a good idea. And, though he looked at her and lusted, she was inhuman, the term the Avengers had been using for a mutant.

How right he was.

She was inhuman. So far removed from humanity they had now become her food source.

When he grew even more intense than Bruce had been, his snide, backhanded compliments beginning to sting, Celine lightly placed her hand on his, leaned forward and turned on her appeal. “I find you to be a highly condescending, swine of a man. As an empath, it is impossible to lie to me. Your false compliments and fake apology leave a foul taste in my mouth. You do not like, nor trust me. Fine. I am here at the request of Charles. His wishes mean far more to me than yours. You do not wish to take my word for it, but I mean this team no harm. I am here to work with you, but if you continue to work against me, I will not hesitate to knock you on your ass… Iron Man.”

He’d blinked a few times when the fog of lust she’d built around him evaporated, and the words she’d spoken registered. Then, surprisingly, he’d laughed. What negative emotions had warred in his aura changed, and the suspicion disappeared.

“About time you stood up for yourself.” He’d patted her hand and walked away, leaving her seat at the bar in shock.

It had been a test. How in the hell had he managed to make his aura appear so…? Her eyes drifted to the Scarlet Witch.

Wanda looked very guilty.

Rising from the bar stool, Celine stalked through the exterior doors. She was livid! They couldn’t probe her mind, so they devised another test to see if she was what she claimed to be.

How quaint! How contrite! How.... ingenious.

She couldn't stay mad when it truly had been a brilliant bit of manipulation and sighed when she walked to the railing to look out over the dark city. All the life which flowed below called to her. She could practically taste it.

“Natasha,” Celine murmured, not bothering to look at the woman who sidled up beside her.

The redhead studied her for a long moment. “What are you?”

Celine cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“An Energy Vampire you said, but what you just did to Tony had nothing to do with chi.”

Observant. Spy.

Celine blinked slowly, continuing to hold the muted green gaze of the woman. “He was being rude. I simply set him straight.”

Her brow arched, disbelief coating her features. “Can you mesmerize people like in the vampire legends?”

Celine closed both hands over the guardrail. “Not in the way you are thinking.” She could alter memories of herself for those she'd fed on, and she could whip them into such a frenzied need, such a pool of lust they would walk off the edge of the building if she commanded it, but she could not take over their mind with a look. Once she let them go, their mind was theirs again.

Natasha stepped closer, the suspicion on her turning her aura into a beacon of red, blue, and yellow pulsing light.

Hunger had Celine’s hands clenching.

“I’m telling you right now, you do anything to endanger this team, I’ll gut you like a fish.”

“You are welcome to try, Widow, but you do not yet know who you are up against,” Celine warned.

“Why don’t you tell me then?” The muted green had turned harsh, challenging.

Celine hated being challenged. She knew exactly who she was, but if the Widow was so curious... “My name is Celine Ena. It was given to me by Charles when I was fifteen. It means fiery moon for darkness is my bedmate and the fire of chi my lifeblood.” Her skin began to glow, shimmer with her power as her hair began to curl. “Energy vampire was the moniker give me by the children I grew up with when their fear of me became great.” Natasha’s eyes widened, and Celine knew hers had begun to glimmer and spark with gold as the amber lightened in her irises. “But my chosen name, my X-men name, is known only to a select few.” Leaning down, she whispered near Natasha’s ear.

The redhead stumbled back away from her, and Celine straightened slowly.

“You hurt anyone on this team…” Natasha trailed off.

“Why would I hurt my own team? I have already told you, I do not feed on teammates. Steve, Bucky, and Peter have been most welcoming and kind.”

“And the rest of us?”

“You have shown me only fear and distrust. I will do my job, be here, work as part of this team, but I cannot change the minds of those who see me only as a monster. Who look at me with hate and disgust as you currently do. I am what I am. I had no choice in the matter. Yet, you would see me caged and collared because of something which was not my doing.” Celine sighed. “It matters not. I am here, and until Charles calls me home, I will stay.” She walked away, heading around the side of the building.

“Where are you going?” Natasha called.

“I require a walk. I do not require food.” And she was done dealing with people who saw her as a threat, or an experiment, or a challenge.

“You can’t leave.”

She jerked to a stop and peered through narrowed eyes over her shoulder. “Excuse me?”

“Didn’t Steve tell you? It was the deal made. You won’t let Wanda vet you, you have to stay where we can keep an eye on you. You’re on house arrest, Celine, until we’re satisfied we can trust you.”

She slowly closed her fists. Here, now, was the catch Steve had, indeed, failed to mention. What the hell was she going to do? “I see.” Celine headed back through the doors to the interior of the building and straight for the elevator.

“Celine?” Steve called out, jogging over with a smile on his face. “Where are you going?”

“As I’m being treated like a teenager, I thought I would go sulk in my room like one,” she snapped.

He had the decency to flinch. “Yeah, sorry about that. I meant to tell you, but… stuff happened.”

She shook her head. “I will not say it is fine. It isn’t. You treat me like an enemy. The fox who has snuck into the hen house. I mean none of you harm, yet you persist in testing me, probing at me, treating me as a thing to be mistrusted. I am a person, no matter how much my mutation has taken from me!” When he tried to take her arm, she jerked away, raked her gaze over the group in general, and walked out, getting on the elevator to return to her room.

Only once the doors closed did she lean against the wall and allow the single, heart-wrenching sob to slip from her lips. “Why, Charles? Why did you have to send... me?”

She was so tired of being hated and feared and loathed.

So very tired.

***

Bucky stormed over to Steve. “What the fuck just happened?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.” Steve glared at Natasha as he stomped across the room. “What did you say to her?”

She didn’t even twitch in the face of his rage. “Standard greeting.”

“In other words, you threatened her. God damn it, Natasha!” Steve barked. “We’re trying to improve relations, not start a war!”

Her face closed down. “I’m not the one you need to be concerned with!”

“Celine is part of this team!”

“She shouldn’t be!” Natasha snarled.

Stunned, Steve took an involuntary step back. “Since when did you become so cynical?”

“Since I found out who she really is!” She pushed past Steve to look at the rest of them. “We should be sending her packing with a thanks, no thanks, back to Xavier.”

“Natalia! What the fuck’s wrong with you? Celine is nice. At least give her a chance,” Bucky stated.

She sneered at him. “You don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what?” asked Steve.

“She’s not just a Qi Manipulator or an Energy Vampire. She’s so much more, and you two are letting her live in the lion’s den!”

“Natalia, ob"yasnis'!” Bucky snapped.

“Explain myself? Sure, Barnes. I’ll explain myself. She’s the one they call Styx!”

The only one to react was Clint who sat straight up. “She’s Styx?”

“What is a Sticks?” asked Thor.

A frustrated growl left Nat’s chest. “None of you read the files on the X-men, did you?”

“I read it, but I don’t remember a Sticks,” Bucky grumbled.

“Nor I,” said Wanda.

“Styx, like the river goddess of ancient Greek mythology. The mutant whose moniker is denoted by that name is said to be called this name because all life flows through her. She is, essentially, the gateway to the afterlife.” Vision recited.

“That’s it?” Steve asked.

“Styx has remained a mystery for most of her existence as an X-men. She prefers to work alone, under cover of darkness. It is said only that she can sweep a building within minutes, leaving behind severely weakened or dead agents in her wake. It is said she can look at a man and see his life, his soul, then she chooses. Life… or death.”

“Cool.”

They all turned to look at Scott.

“What?” he shrugged a shoulder. “If she’s so powerful, isn’t it better to have her on our side instead of against it?”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Sam sighed, shaking his head, “but the bug is right. She seems nice enough, maybe a little cool, but we haven’t exactly been welcoming either.”

“She’s lonely.” Wanda looked away when all eyes swung to her. “I could pick up her emotions a little when she was speaking with Tony.”

“Wanda’s right. Celine expected us to turn on her. It’s what everyone does. She said as much when she was with Peter and me in the park. This shit right here,” Bucky motioned to the room, “is fucked up. We’re supposed to a team, but all some of you have done is make her feel like shit. Well done.” Turning on his heel, Bucky walked away.

“Someone’s smitten,” Natasha snorted.

“Nat,” Steve said, waiting for her to look at him. “You’re acting like a bitch.” Her eyes widened as the others gasped. “You got issues? You got insecurities? You got a problem with her being here? Then solve it, because Celine is going to be here for the foreseeable future. Xavier wants this to work, I want this to work, and Stark you were pushing for it too. Stop testing her!” He glared at Tony.

“I’d just feel better if Wanda could…” Tony sighed, flicking a wrist in dismissal. “I’ll fix it.”

“Good.” Steve looked around the room at all the contrite faces. “She’s here. She’s staying. Get it together.” Without another word, he followed Bucky out of the room.  

Next Chapter

[katsudekuheadcanons]

9) Baking on a rainy day, high fives, a first kiss sounds really cute!

THIS CAME OUT A HECK OF A LOT LONGER THAN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO OOPS. But here. :3 sorry if it feels a bit rushed toward the end... T 3 T --The phone call was awkward. A forced phone call to Izuku's phone,  from none other than his childhood friend. And Izuku knew it was forced because he could hear Mrs. Bakugou telling her son what to say in the background. "Tell him." she said, probably attempting to whisper. "Tell him to come over..and quit being such a grouch, Katsuki. " she added in. Izuku had to stifle a laugh as he listened silently, waiting for Katsuki to actually speak up.  "Deku" After about three quiet minutes,  he spoke. What a surprise! "Come the fuck over." It was more of an order than an invitation. And before the freckled boy had a chance to ask any questions, the phone was disconnected. If it wasn't a cell phone call- Izuku was sure it would have been hung up with a slam. A distressed sigh escaped his lips and ran a hand through his curly locks. "What am I supposed to do?? Why is Kacchan's mother making me go over there" He cant help the worry that had taken over him, and he paced about his room. Great. Katsuki's house. What a way to spend a Saturday evening.They weren't on terrible terms anymore, but they definitely weren't /perfect/. They could at least hold a conversation with out yelling at one another now. And they walked home together sometimes... but they haven't necessarily 'hung out'. Another sigh left him, and he tucked his phone away in his pocket.  Well,  if he was going, he may as well get it over with.  Katsuki wanted to make it a quick visit too, he was sure. He'd never invite Izuku over just because-- and it was evident now that for whatever reason,  his mother was the one who wanted them to meet.  "I'll just see what Kacchan wants-  And then I'll come home." ~~Fuck. Fuck. /Fuck/. Izuku was coming over.  Katsuki shot a look at the clock ticking away on the wall.  It wouldn't take him too long to walk over, despite the rain fall. It was only drizzling, so it wouldn't slow Izuku down.  "Mom. What the fuck??" Katsuki growled,  as he watched his mother grab hold of her umbrella.  She slipped on her high heeled shoes, and swung a light jacket over her shoulder before making her way to the door.  "Why the hell would you invite Deku here?! When you're leaving,  what the fuck??""You invited him, brat~" she sing songed, and set a hand on the door knob. "Don't be such a baby. Do you think your mother is stupid? Take advantage of this! " she demands to her son,  before heading out of the house.  Shit. Dammit. Fuck. What did she mean by that?  The ash blonde leaned himself against the wall of his living room.  His bottom lip jutted out in thought,  slowly starting to realize what she meant.  Oh."No fuckin way." He stated,  before standing himself up straight.  "No fuckin way mom noticed somethin like that." Katsuki decided he may as well tidy up as he waited to get his mind off of things,  and it wasn't long before there was a knock at the front door.  In that moment,  Katsuki swore his heart jolted to a stop.  His breath shortened in his lungs and he shot a death glare at the door.  Almost as if he was hoping to scare off his guest with out having to communicate at all... of course it didn't help.  There was a short pause,  before another knock followed; this time it was louder. His mind started to race all over as he inched himself toward the door.  What would he say? For what reason did he even have Izuku come over?  He had to think of something before he got to the door. He had to figure it out. Had to think.  Had to plot-- "Kacchan!" Izuku called.  "Please let me in, its down pouring!" Katsuki paused as he reached the front door. He swallowed thickly, as his hand hesitated to open it. He could easily ignore Izuku and continue on with his evening. Eventually Izuku would get tired of standing in the rain and he'd just go home. But then he could also catch a cold. Izuku is dumb sometimes, so he wouldn't have taken an umbrella for a short walk. Katsuki couldn't let Izuku get sick. "Kacchan!" The voice jolted Katsuki from his thoughts once again and he grumbled, before grabbing hold of the door knob. It swung open with a crash against the wall and it would have bounced back shut, if Katsuki hadn't stopped it with his foot. "I heard you the first time- be patient, damn." His red hues narrowed and looked down at Izuku who was a shivering mess. And at that site, Katsuki swore he hated himself. Why didn't he just open the fucking door? Now Izuku was soaked. "A..are you going to let me in or not?" He questioned then, frowning. The ash blonde, pressed his lips shut,  and took a step to the side.  His eyes watching Izuku's every movement.  The way his hair stuck to his face from the rain, the way his clothes dripped, how he took awkward steps because his shoes were also soaked through... it was sort of cute. Shaking away the thought,  Katsuki kicked the door closed. He followed Izuku in, and the silence was becoming a bit awkward. "Why did you want me to come over?"  Finally it was broken,  and the freckled boy turned his attention toward his childhood friend.  There was a bit of shyness in his gaze. "Uuuh--" Katsuki paused momentarily. "Uh... to help me bake somethin." It /sounded/ like he made it up on the spot, but who the hell would care? Although now he had to figure out what exactly he was baking. "To /bake/?" Izuku's eyes widened slightly,  before he nodded and looked down at his wet clothes. "Thats unlike you Kacchan, is this some kind of prank?" He smiled crooked. It was that uneasy,  unsure smile that Katsuki really disliked for many reasons. "No- no seriously!  I gotta bake somethin and Im not fucking good at it! So thats why I wanted you over. ""Your mom made you call me" Izuku stated. "But.  Let's get it over with,  okay..? Um.. I'm sure you want to get this done as soon as possible. " Katsuki's brows knitted at that. It hurt to hear that Izuku felt he wasn't wanted there... because that wasnt true. "Sure. But I'm gonna give you some dry clothes first.""What??""Just take the damn offer!"~~Now that Izuku was in a dry set of clothes, (Katsuki's shorts and hoodie), the two of them could get started.  Izuku's cheeks were flushed red wearing them. It felt weird.. but nice. They had only shared clothes one other time,  and that was when they were children.  Katsuki however,  regretted his choice of allowing Izuku to use his clothing.  Because God /dammit/, he looked really cute wearing it. The sweat shirt and shorts only showed off how much smaller Izuku was than Katsuki, despite not looking much different standing side by side.  Sure Katsuki was taller,  and more built,  but he never realized how much."What are we making?" Izuku questioned, finally looking up at the other. Katsuki's gaze was disturbed then, and he lifted a hand to rub his neck. His eyes darted around the room. He had to look anywhere but at other. "Uh.. Apple pie. My mom wants it for dessert tonigt.." A lie. But a good one, he hoped. They had the ingredients for one so how hard could it really be? "I gotta recipe." With that, he made his way to the kitchen counter and started to dig through the small box that held his mother's different recipes. "You dont seem like the type to enjoy baking, Kacchan" Izuku commented,  trying to keep things calm.  They were having a decent conversation so far... no yelling.  No annoyance.  Just talking- about pie and baking! Perhaps it was the start of something... something normal.  A genuine friendship, possibly. The chances were slim,  but Izuku could be hopeful couldn't he?  He never hated Katsuki, and lately they had been on good terms.  The latter hadn't even bullied or talked down on Izuku for a while.  Izuku could almost safely say that his childhood friend was becoming nicer.  Not to others per say, but to him personally. It felt good.  It gave Izuku a tickle in his stomach.  "I never said I / enjoyed/  it. It just has to be done. " Katsuki replied,  and held up the recipe he was looking for. "And here it is- lets start workin on this and get it done. Maybe by the time we're finished the rain will stop."  He offered a slight smile before setting the paper down on the counter.  Was he actually trying to make conversation? Izuku could hardly believe it, but thats what it seemed like. He wouldn't let the opportunity slip from his fingers and he nodded; his green curls bouncing a bit as he did. "I hope!" And he smiled. It was genuine, and there was no hint of unsureness to it. Katsuki could swear his heart stopped. The sight of a smiling Izuku was so rare to him, and it was precious.  Something he'd treasure for the rest of his life if he were able.  "Read off the ingredients, Kacchan. I'll start to gather them." Katsuki blinked, waking up from his daydream. (He had been doing that a lot that day. He needed to stop). "Yeah,  yeah. First things first is obviously the apples".~~"What the fuck?!" "It doesn't look right.." Izuku muttered."Seriously,  what the fucking shit??" Katsuki growled, as he stared at the pie they had baked. It was cooling off on the stove top,  but the top crust had sunken in, and the inside was liquid instead of caramelized.  "What the hell did we do wrong??" He questioned,  grabbing hold of the recipe. It looked like they did everything right.  So why was it coming out that way? "Maybe we mis-read a step" Izuku mumbled,  as he lifted a hand up to play with his lower lip. "We should give it another try.. this time Ill read the directions and you add ingredients! Its still raining anyway-  it'll be a fun way to pass the time.." Suddenly, Izuku's voice grew unsure.  Katsuki shifted his gaze to the other,  and felt a wave of something (happiness was it?)take over him. Izuku said it would be fun to pass the time baking with Katsuki. That meant he enjoyed it the first time. That meant he didnt want to leave yet. The blonde felt his cheeks redden, and he piped up finally.  He couldn't let Izuku be doubtful. "Sure- why the hell not. Im no quiter. We're gonna make this damn pie right,  no matter what. " he smirked,  and started to gather the ingredients once again.  The second time around seemed to be going more successful, in more ways than one.  To both their surprise they were talking. It started off about the pie- but it slowly moved away from that.  Katsuki swore they were having fun. Izuku laughed a few times. Katsuki was finding it easier to joke around with him, and it was refreshing.  Izuku couldn't remember the last time he / laughed/  with Katsuki... it felt warm. It made his heart pound in his chest,  and his stomach do flips. They continued to work on the pie, and it wasn't long before it was in the oven. The duo wasted time waiting for it to bake by telling stories.  They touched back on a lot of their past memories together, majority from when they were young. They avoided any of the bullying memories as if they didn't exist and focused solely on the times they played or went by each other's houses. Katsuki was surprised that they actually did so much together.. he had forgotten about the peaceful times between them. Finally the timer went off,  and it was time for the moment of truth. Izuku watched eagerly, as Katsuki put on the oven mits and went into the oven.  The crust wasn't caved in so that was a good sign. But the real confirmation of their success would be in the filling.  "Ill bet its okay!" Izuku chimed,  as he watched the pie. They waited patiently together for it to cool.  "We'll see. If it isnt right,  we're going to the store for more god damn apples and we're makin it again" Katsuki stated and he picked up the knife. "Ready?""Ready!" As the knife sunk into the pie, a grin formed on Katsuki's face. He finished cutting the slice and it was perfect.  The inside was caramelized just right, and the apples were soft. "Fuck yeah!" Katsuki looked at the other quickly. "Look at it! "Izuku smiled wide, seeing their sucess. Apparently adding too many apples and not enough sugar was their downfall last time. "We did it Kacchan!" He laughed again and lifted a hand up, waiting. "Ill bet it tastes as good as it looks! "The blonde glanced at the raised hand and lifted his own up. He slapped their hands together for a satisfying high-five,  though his hand lingered there. He still couldn't take his eyes off Izuku. Especially because he was smiling now.. it was such a tender smile, Katsuki never realized how warm it made him feel. How much he actually longed to see it. And he didn't realize how nice it was to be the cause of it.The freckled boy looked puzzled,  as Katsuki stared at him.  He tilted his head slightly,  and as he went to move his hand away it was grabbed. Fingers laced and suddenly... he was being tugged forward. It all happened so fast after that.  Their bodies were closer than they'd ever been.  Izuku's eyes widened,  as Katsuki's  feel shut.  Their lips collided together only for a few moments before it was over. Katsuki pulled back relatively quickly,  looking just as surprised as Izuku did.  "K..Kacchan you..." his cheeks grew dark red at the realization.  "..Shut...shut up, Deku." "...Kacchan why did you-""Don't,  Deku!""You k.. kissed... kissed me!" It was finally said. And the two stared at each other in silence for a few moments.  "... why did you..?" Izuku said softly.  Katsuki thought it should be more than obvious as to / why/, but Izuku seemed confused.  He appeared to be looking for some type of reassurance,  and he was holding himself back from reacting. Katsuki stayed quiet for a few moments before parting his lips to speak.  "I'm..." his voice grew quiet.  "..I think I... love you. " ".. you /think/..?" Izuku didnt sound too pleased with the answer.  He definitely sounded confused and weary. His brows furrowed,  and he huddled into himself. It was that look that Katsuki couldn't stand.  The look that displayed his fear. The look that was especially for Katsuki in the past.  "A...Are you...making some kind of joke?" At that, the ash blonde stiffened up.  That was the last thing he wanted. This wasn't a joke, it was real. And he had to make sure he displayed that."No-- no its not a joke. " he lifted a hand up to touch his forehead.  God, he hated being bad with words.  "Its not a joke- I said it wrong. I meant that I.. agh..  I.. really.." It really wasn't like Katsuki to mix up his words,  but when it came to Izuku nothing made sense. He couldn't form a sentence,  and it was killing him inside. "I love you,  okay? I love you-- and I'm absolute shit at trying to put this into words.  I dunno when it started-  I dunno what made me want to tell you right now.  But I did.  And I fucking kissed you, and I did it because I love you.  This isn't a joke- Im serious! " There was silence between them then. Izuku's green hues stared intently into Katsuki's red ones. They stayed like that for a few moments before Izuku spoke. "....Kacchan.. I... I also have feelings for you.." it was weird to admit.  " But!"Katsuki blinked, waiting eagerly. He felt his heart palpitating fast. "..I can't trust you fully yet. I'm sure you know why.." Izuku played with his hands then. "I need you to show me." Katsuki swallowed hard,  but nodded a bit.  Of course Izuku couldn't trust him all the way. He knew the reasons as to why,  but it still hurt. It fucking sucked. But Katsuki's not a quiter. He took in a deep breath, before closing the distance between them."I'll prove it. I don't care how long it takes.  I don't care if its years or whatever.  I'm gonna show you and prove it. Im different than I was.." Izuku's, face softened as he listened.  He gave a gentle nod before reaching out to lace their fingers together.  "I know you are." They kissed again, this time it was mutual. Their lips moved together slowly, before parting. Katsuki then pulled the other in for a firm hug. It was going to be a journey together. It was going to be a bumpy road, it was going to be hard, and it was going to be long. But it was worth it. To be able to see Izuku smiling as bright as the sun, just for him. It was worth everything to Katsuki.