#the shot of him sitting entirely alone while cleaning his gun............... baby.

[stolligaseptember]

god the way kinn lost EVERYONE leading up to his ascension, and how that's a direct cause to the war of succession

[hotch-stufff]

Surprise, Surprise

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x F!reader

Warnings!: there are no warnings, im not telling you a single thing. It's a surprise. Just read and find out ;)

Also, as much as I love him, Jack does not exist in this story, wasn't really sure how to write him in.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry that I haven't written in a while, I have had no inspiration and my bf dumped me so... ya'know that was nice. Anyways, finally getting some inspo, hopefully I will be writing more. Hope you guys enjoy this one :) Also, the mood board is mine, but the images are all from pintrest.

Word count: 1.4 k words

This is an emotional roller coaster

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

You couldn't breathe.

You couldn't move, or speak.

Your knees gave out as you fell to the floor, sobs racking your body.

You felt arms wrap around you, but it didn't help. You were suffocating. He was your air, and he had just been ripped from your lungs. 

He was gone, dead.

Your husband.

The love of your life.

Aaron Hotchner was dead

* * *

You don't remember anything after the doctor uttered those words. You don't remember Rossi picking you up and holding you. You don't remember the sad glances, the tears shed by your teammates. You don't remember the car ride to your now empty shared apartment. You don't remember lying down and sobbing into the pillow for hours.

No, you only remember the pain. The unbearable pain of loss.

He was gone. Really gone.

You cried and cried for hours on end. Until you had no tears left to shed. 

Then you just lied there, staring at the wall, gripping his favorite shirt in your arms, remembering every little moment with him.

And it hurt like hell just thinking of everything you did with him. The day you met. Your first kiss, your first date. The day he proposed. Your wedding. Every little thing. 

And you wouldn't be able to do anything else. You wouldn't have kids with him. You guys had just talked about having a baby just the other day. He wanted one so bad. 

You shouldn't have waited.

Because now, now he was gone.

* * *

The next few days were a blur. You found yourself with home-cooked meals overflowing your fridge. A team member at your house every night. But it was all a blur.

All meaningless without Aaron.

The funeral was coming up. You didn't make any arrangements, you asked Rossi if he could handle it and he quickly agreed. 

He had taken care of finding the casket, picking a place, and finding a burial site. Everything. 

The only thing you had asked for was a closed casket.

You couldn't handle looking at him.

* * *

On the day of the funeral, the girls all came over to help you get ready. 

"Alright y/n, do you have a dress?" Penny asked as she walked out of kitchen.

"In the closet." You croaked. Your voice being hoarse from the crying and lack of speaking for the past two weeks.

"Okay I'll grab that, and shoes. Jj is going to make you breakfast and Em is going to do your hair okay?" You gave her a sad smile and a small okay.

Penny quickly walked back your hallway as Em began pulling your hair back in a low ponytail. You felt the tears begin slipping down your face once again.

Jj saw as she walked back in the room with a bagel and coffee.

"Oh sweetheart." And the dam broke. They comforted you the best they could. But they couldn't even imagine what you were going through, because he was gone.

* * *

The funeral was a blur. It seemed like everything was these days. 

It was a beautiful service. You don't remember much. Lots of hugs and 'sorry for your loss's.

It had gone quickly, and soon you found yourself in Rossi's living room. Everyone but the team had left, you sat alone. The rest were in the kitchen cleaning up.

You didn't move from your spot, sipping your wine.

Everyone walked in, and found spots around you.

It was silent. Not a single word was spoken.

"I'm taking a leave of absence." You spoke.

6 pairs of eyes shot to you, but they couldn't say they were surprised.

"It's just too much. I'm not ready to come back." Your voice was quiet. Rossi was the first to say anything.

"Take all the time you need." 

* * *

And you did. You spent about 3 months in that apartment, alone and sad and heartbroken. 

But you realized that Aaron would never want you to live like this. And you really needed to be able to pay the bills.

So after those 3 months, you gave Rossi a call. He had become until chief since you had left, and he instantly accepted you back to the team.

You were slowly getting better. 

Each passing case a distraction. 

Each one fixing you just a bit more. 

Each one giving your life a purpose, a meaning again.

And you felt better. You stopped crying yourself to sleep. You stopped sitting in silence for hours on end. You stopped crying every time you thought about him.

But you still visited him every week. You still thought about him everyday. You still wore your wedding rings, refusing to take them off.

But you were better. 

* * *

A few more months went by and you started going out with the team again. You spent more time with them. Almost every weekend. And you were somewhat okay.

And it wasn't until about 8 months after his death did your world come to another crashing halt.

You had been called in to the BAU, not entirely sure why, but you came in none the less. 

You figured it was a case, but Jj hadn't specified on the phone, which was strange.

You had walked up to the conference room, and were surprised to see the whole team sitting there ready to go. 

"Hey guys, do we have a case?" You asked, but Jj sent you a sad look causing you to grow worried.

"Y/n, you should sit down for this." You had no idea what was going on. What on earth was happening. "Peter Raymond recently resurfaced, and was taken into custody this morning about an hour ago. He resisted arrest and pulled a gun on an officer. He was shot and killed." Your heart hammered in your chest. He was gone. The bastard who killed your husband was gone. Rossi stood walking towards Jj.

A pit grew in your stomach, there was more, something you didn't know.

"8 months ago I made a decision that greatly affected this team. Aaron Hotchner received substantial injuries from the wounds he endured, but his surgery was a success and he was airlifted to an unknown location. His identity was changed in order to keep him safe. But he is alive." 

You couldn't believe your ears. He was alive. Alive? 

Your eyes shot to the door and there he stood. 

Aaron Hotchner. 

You couldn't breathe. 

You couldn't move or speak. 

He was alive, you should be ecstatic.

But you only felt anger.

Your eyes shot to Rossi.

"How dare you." You whispered out, surprising the team. You weren't an angry person, you never yelled at your teammates. But you, you were seething. "How could you do that. You knew he was alive and yet you let me suffer. You watched as I cried day and night. You watched as I let myself go, as I lost myself." You shook your head in anger.

Aaron stepped forward reaching out for you, but you shook your head.

"Dont touch me. Don't fucking touch me." You felt the tears fall down your face. Again. "You left me. You're dead. You're gone. Y-you left." You were shaking and crying and once again Aaron reached out for you, but this time you let him.

He brought you into a crushing hug, holding you like you had begged to be held for months. 

He was here, really here. You could smell and feel and see him. He was really here.

"Y-you bastard. You left me." You whispered desperately as you cried into his shirt. 

The team was quick to disperse. They too were mad at Rossi, and they wanted to reunite with Hotch. But they left you be, at least for now.

Aaron pulled back slightly, looking down at you.

"Sweetheart I'm so sorry. I wish I didn't have to. But he would have killed you and then he would have killed me." He had tears running down his face as well now. But you were so angry at him.

You pushed him away.

"I could have gone with you Aaron. You could have gone into witsec. You didn't need to fake your fucking death Aaron!" You yelled at him. you couldn't even believe you were eating this conversation.

"Y/n please, I'm so sorry." You were mad yeah, but you were so overwhelmingly relieved that it overpowered your anger. "I missed you sweetheart." He whispered out and you broke just a little bit more.

"You bastard. Y-you stupid man." You pulled him back to you and slammed your lips together. "You stupid, stupid man." You gasped out between kisses. 

"I know, I'm so sorry. I love you." He stated after you pulled away.

"I-I love you too." You were sobbing at this point.. "Don't ever do that to me again." He nodded, leaning in to kiss you again.

And you kissed your husband.

Because he wasn't gone. 

He was right here.

And god did it feel amazing to have him back

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

Thanks for reading! Requests are still open, so ask away! Currently I'm only taking requests from my prompt list, which is right here! School is starting up soon though, so i may not be writing very often, but i will definitely try! Anyways, if you would like to read more of my work, here is my masterlist.

[queenkrissy11-fandomaccount]

Angel - Bucky X Reader

Between the dark sky and the gravel beneath your worn out shoes, running for safety wasn’t exactly easy.

You take the next right, the gravel sliding with your feet as you try not to lose any speed. Dead end. Shit. The foot steps behind you get louder.

“Looks like you’re out of luck, princess.”

How do you always find yourself in these situations? You’re an heiress for hell’s sake. You shouldn’t be in dark alleys in the sketchy part of town in the middle of the night.

Lucy would never be in this situation. She would have listened to mom. She would have put on the pink gown, no matter how hideous, and then stayed at mom’s side the entire gala. She definitely wouldn’t have brought a change of clothes and snuck out ten minutes in.

By the way tonight is going it doesn’t matter. You’re going to end up the same as her no matter how different you lived your life. Six feet under.

Think Y/N

You pick up a rock from next to the dumpster.

“Stay away from me.”

He smiles but the scar through his face makes it lopsided. “Or what? You’ll get me with that rock?” He draws a gun from his waistband.

You didn’t understand what the big deal was. So what you ended up in the wrong room at the bar? You could tell they weren’t up to any good but you couldn’t tell what exactly they were up to.

You throw the rock and he fires. It pierces your shoulder. You can feel it but it’s not how you imagined. The adrenaline must really be pumping.

The already dirty white tshirt quickly stains red.

A second set of steps creeps behind the attacker. And then a third.

You are officially, royally screwed. “Stay back!” You take a couple steps away from them, your eyes bouncing between the men. Cold, rough brick meets your back.

The edges of your vision become blurry as the warm, thick blood continues to spread down your body.

The first man is only a matter of feet away now, he grabs the front of your shirt. Clawing at his grip does nothing. No surprise, you can hardly feel your right arm, let alone use it.

His arm pulls back and then strikes you in the face. At this rate, you’ll be with Lucille in no time

“I’m sorry mom,” your voice sounds pathetic but you can only imagine how she’ll react in a couple hours. When the officers come knocking on the front door, she’ll have flashbacks to the night they found Lucy. She’ll have to go to another daughter’s funeral. Face all the grief again, but this time completely alone. You should have listened. You ahould have been the perfect daughter she wanted and then lost with Lucy. You were here second chance and didn’t measure up.

Suddenly your feet find the ground and the rest of your body soon after. You can barely get your eyes open but the scene in front of you is too much to let them close again. The man that was holding you up only a moment ago was on the ground with a very large man on top of him delivering blows. He goes limp and the newest addition stands up. Behind him the two other men lay unconscious. Or dead? You aren’t sure.

The stranger is now looking directly at you. He could be an angel. Or you could be delirious. Either way, he was fine.

He comes closer and you’re met with the most brilliant blue eyes.

“Hey kid, it’s going to be okay. Do you know your name?”

“Are you an angel?”

The pretty stranger draws his eyebrows together, “What?”

His shoulder length brown hair looks so soft. “Am I dead?”

He cracks a hint of a smile, “No, but we do need to get you to a hospital as soon as possible.”

He hoists you into his arms. His very, very large arms. As you come down from the adrenaline high, you are suddenly very aware of the gaping hole in your shoulder.

You wake up in a bright white room. You can hear the machine checking your vitals.

“Y/N?” The chair scrapes the floor as your mom jumps from her chair, “baby?”

She’s pulling you into the tightest hug of your life as tears pool in her eyes.

“Mom, I’m okay,” You try pulling away and are suddenly very aware of your shoulder.

“You scared the hell out of me!” She’s yellong now. Great. “What were you doing! Why did you leave?”

The nights events come flooding back in, “Wait! Where is he?”

She takes a breath, “Who?”

“The man who saved me! Where is he? I have to thank him.” You slide off the side of the bed, pulling the tube stuck to you along.

“Y/N! Sit down! What are you talking about?” Your mom tries to force you back onto the bed. “No one saved you. The nurses found you collapsed in the lobby.”

“He, he left?” It hurt more than you wanted to admit.

A few hours later you were deemed stable enough to get ready to leave.

While changing you can’t help but stare at your reflection. Your blonde hair is still clumped with blood and you can already tell you’ll have a nasty scar once the bullet wound heals up. Bullet wound. You were shot. Wth.

You shake it off and change into the clean clothes your mom handed you. The dirty, worn out and bloody ones from last night were in the trash.

For a few months you did as you were told. You were given a second chance at life and tried to be the perfect daughter you weren’t before.

It was only a matter of time before you started looking for your hero, or angel as you referred to him. You didn’t have much to go on. Beautiful blue eyes. Scruff. Long, brown hair. Toned build. The lack of information didn’t stop you. You looked for years, even going as far as hiring a private investigator, or two. Okay, maybe five.

It got you no where. The only place you could find him was your dreams. After the first few years you started to think you might have only imagined him. It was hard to move on when you could remember exactly how he smelt and how it felt to be cradled in his arms. And how were you supposed to forget a hunk that swooped in and saved the day? That was a prince charming level story.

You phone vibrates and you glance down from the vanity. The car had arrived. One more quick glance at yourself to make sure everythings in order. You’re taken aback by how much you look like Lucy. It made sense. She was always put together like this and you’re now as old as she was. You shake your head and grab your clutch.

The car ride was quiet but it gives you a chance to prepare for the night ahead. Your mother isgoing to be the talk of the evening, she recently received another award for her developments in the medical field.

You took a different path in life. Instead of medical developments, you made advances in the technological field. You were considered on the same level as Tony Stark, however, you worked under an alias. You got the profit without the recognition.

Your mother, and only company for the evening, had been swept into another crowd of profound doctors so you took it as a que to step back and get yourself at the drink.

As you wait for the bartender to return with your cocktail, someone takes the seat next to you.

You spare him a glance, “Angel?”

He smirks, “Listen, doll, I appreciate the creativity but I’m not looking to be picked up tonight.”

“No, thats not-what?” You’re stumbling over your words. “You-you saved me.” You slip the satin dress down, revealinf the nasty scar on your shoulder.

“Alley girl?” Recognition spreads across his face.

You give a short laugh, “You get angel and I get alley girl. That seems unfair.”

He shakes his head, “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to see you here. I wouldn’t have guessed this to be your scene based on our last encounter.”

You give a small eye roll, “Getting shor in shady alleys are more of a weekend thing for me. What are you doing here?”

“I’m, uh, here supporting a friend.” He glances to a cluster if men and you notice Tony Stark. What are the odds?

“You have no idea how hard you are to find.” You can’t help but smile. So many years of looking and you accidentally find him at the bar of a dinner party for millionaires.

“I think I have a pretty good idea.” That smirk turned you into putty. What was it about this man? He sure seemed like an angel. Your very own prince charming.

[miss-kittys-magical-library]

The Ides Of March

(A Darren Treacy x Jeanie Turner mini-series)

Prologue - Bad Romance

Word Count: 1815

Warnings: language, violence, murder, mention of sexual assault, angst

A/N: On Saint Patrick's Day, Darren and Jeanie start receiving ominous, cryptic text messages claiming to be from the future. Play the game; save Darren. Jeanie's rules are simple enough: If Dazz can catch her out in Dublin, he can have her any way and anywhere he wants. So how did a night of wild sex and whiskey lead to murder? *Spoilers for Love/Hate series 3*

Sequel to “The Sinner’s Prayer” Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

There are tiny moments that contain millions of choices we all make. It's not a choose your own adventure; there's not always time to think cohesively. Add in copious amounts of liquor and sex and a person may become impulsive. As Jeanie cocked the gun pointed in Nidge’s direction, she found herself in the middle of one of those flip-of-the-coin situations.

She followed every hint, every cryptic text from a burner phone that was meant to prevent this exact instant. But the vile leader of an IRA faction lay slowly dying from internal injuries at her feet. Siobhan, softly sobbing hid her face in Tommy’s shoulder. Darren, behind her, still held the keg by the handle. Nidge was the only one who could square up. He was pacing like a trapped animal, enraged and seething. Jeanie never faltered in her aim.

“We're done here, Delaney,” the words came out distorted. “Right now. This was a nice night. I saw a great concert. I drank loads of fucking liquor. I have had more sex in the last few hours than I have in the last few years. I literally got eaten out in a pub loo. I'm getting divorced, and if Trish was smart she'd get a divorce too.”

“Red-” Darren tried.

Jeanie spun on him, the gun pointed too close for either’s comfort. Darren’s eyes like a deer in headlights. “I'm not losing you. I'm not letting this life eat anymore of you. Siobhan already paid the price.”

“Just put the gun down please. I'm only trying t’put him out, love. Look at the bastard.”

“It's a butterfly effect, Dazz. You're already too much for them.” Tears threatened Jeanie’s eyes.

Darren put his hand on the muzzle of the gun cautiously and pointed it down to the floor. “What the fuck are ye talking about? Jeanie, you've been barking all night. Not that I don't appreciate the craic,” he smirked, “Or the shaggin’. The panic attack when we walked through the door earlier. How did ye know about Git?”

Jeanie fished in her cleavage for her mobile and tossed it to Darren. He opened it up and used his own for comparison. He studied the texts on both screens with confusion in his eyes.

“You've been getting them too, right?”

“But how?”

Only Darren and Jeanie existed right now. And the soft gurgling of Git as he drowned in his own blood. The choked crying of a young woman who had been assaulted. They were alone, but aware. So deeply aware of their situation.

“Oh please, can ye even fire a fucking gun?” Nidge’s voice broke through.

Jeanie whirled again, her arm around the side of Darren's friend. It was all fluid. Her arms moved with resistance like underwater. The gun aimed somewhere towards the back of the basement or front. No one was sure. It was just where she pointed the gun and pulled the trigger.

One by one dominos topped in a new pattern. Siobhan screamed, but the sound was deafening so her panic was muted. The gun kicked back causing Jeanie’s elbow to vibrate. Almost like someone checked her reflexes with a small hammer. A burst of concrete where the bullet hit a wall, and Darren dropped the keg with an even louder crash.

In Nidge’s terror, he went to flee from Jeanie's bullet . His entire weight landed on Git’s face. Nidge’s trainer came down with a sickening crunch like a knife in butter. Git’s face was the butter. The gurgle ceased.

The last domino fell. Jeanie dropped the weapon to her side and staggered backwards into Darren’s arms. He tried to take the gun but she jerked it away.

Instead he switched gears and mumbled nonsensical words of comfort. “I've got yous.” and “Jeanie, it'll be ok” She stared up at him as a tremble rolled through her. Darren put his hand on her face and sort of started fixing her hair. Then, with a turn of her head, Jeanie vomited absolutely everywhere.

“Lovely. Just fucking lovely,” Nidge said. “Typical Americans.”

Darren held Jeanie by the arms and bent to look her in the eye. “Alright, sweetheart? Nidge and Tommy and I have t’ take care of this. Why don't ye call Laura or Ewan, and have them come get the pair of ye. Siobhan too? Get her cleaned up and get some sleep. Crash at my gaff, ok?”

Jeanie was numb. Catatonic almost as Darren and Tommy formed a circle. Their heads literally together as they attempted a plan.

Jeanie straightened her back and made her way to Siobhan who held herself tightly. Like she was trying to fade into the background. She put her arms around the young woman who started with a jump but relaxed into Jeanie. The gun finally out of her hands and on the desk beside them.

“Here's what we're gonna do, ok? Do you want me to call Trish or Mary? You aren't gonna clean yourself or even pee. We're gonna take you to hospital. They'll clean you up and take samples. Then we can get you some tea and a warm shower and a nice bed. Dazz has a nice bed. Then I'll get Layton, and bring him to you. That sound good?”

Siobhan nodded softly in agreement, but her uncle wasn't having it. He shoved Darren and Tommy aside to bellow at the two women huddled in the corner together. His finger pointed in Jeanie’s face.

“She’s not gonna do a goddamn thing you say. You're gonna sit right here while Uncle Nidge and the boys clean up this bitch’s mess.”

There was not a single thought that went through Jeanie's head. Was this how Darren's brain was wired to live this lifestyle? Just react and pay for it later while you're trying to live until the next job.

But she was done, she knew that much. Done being left behind. Treated like she was the good little obedient housewife. Having men tell her what she can and can't do. Shut up, sit still and be a good girl. But open your legs. It was being done that caused her to hold the gun up again and point the barrel to Nidge's forehead.

“Darren doesn't work for you anymore, Nigel. Tommy, you can stay here or you can take care of your wife. No one owes him any loyalty.”

“Come on, I didn't mean bitch. We just have to fix it. Then you and Treacy can do whatever.”

Jeanie cocked the gun again until it clicked, “No. You can call Elmo or Fran. Can't call Aido can you? Seeing as you got him shot. Dazz gave you a lung, the love of his life, his sister and his fucking mind. He's not giving you or this bullshit anything else.”

“Red-”

Jeanie swung the gun on Darren without thinking. He flinched and ducked, But she kept her wits about her. She aimed the gun at Nidge once more.

“Dazz, take your shoes off,” she instructed.

“What?”

“You're standing in this cunt’s blood. Take your trainers off and leave them. Socks too, and stand behind me. Then text Ewan and tell him to meet us here with a car. We're going to your flat, then my hotel to pack our bags after we shower and set these clothes on fire. Then we are getting all of our money, our passports and our IDs. Say goodbye to Mary and the girls, and we are going away. Tibet. Phuket. Bali. I don't give a fuck, but we’re flying first class.”

Darren complied. Jeanie couldn't believe it. They shared a look. She couldn't tell if it was relief or the devil in his blazing green eyes, but she was emboldened by it as she bent to take off her own boots. Her focus on Nidge never faltered.

“Ewan said he'll be here in ten or so. Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

“I'm not above shooting this bastard in the head for you, Dazz. I'm not saying we are settling down and having babies and happily ever after or some shit. I'm saying I don't want you to die. If we have to run half way around the world to make that happen..” Jeanie's body started to quiver. The adrenaline was running out. “First I need a Bloody Mary and some French Toast.”

-------

Jeanie exhaled for the first time in nearly 24 hours. The exhaustion finally set in as she laid back in the ridiculous bed chair thing from“upper class.” She and Darren were beyond first class, they were elite now. Even if it was only for the twelve hours it took to get to Thailand.

She could see his far too short hair sticking out on the other side of the wall. She knew at one point he would sneak in to be with her if only for a little while. Jeanie made him look a bit nicer than his typical trainers and hoodies and denim. She was in a sundress herself. They both knew dressing up was not fitting in. Neither felt they fit in here.

“You good, Dazz?”

“I t’ink so. Still trying t’figure out how we went from shagging in coat rooms and back rooms and toilets to watching an IRA boss,” Darren raised his eyes, “to being on this plane. We have forty.. Enough money to live, maybe years where we're going.”

“You couldn't keep living that life, Darren. Nidge was off his fucking rocker, and everyone around him is gonna pay for it.”

“Rosie would've never done this, you know that right?” He looked plaintively over at Jeanie as she climbed up onto her knees.

“Her loss is my gain though. I know you love me, but I'm not sure about my own feelings. I do care about you alot. I'm probably a danger junkie, so we could end up bored of each other without the fear of being caught or you not having any jobs. Or you could wear colors and learn to meditate, and I'll get a pet monkey and cut all my hair off.”

“Don't ye dare!” Darren laughed. “I'll become a Buddhist, just don't cut that hair.” He twisted his fingers up in it before reaching up to kiss her sweetly. Just a hint of his tongue.

“Fine,” Jeanie rolled her eyes. “But I still want a monkey. We should get some sleep.”

They kissed one last time before she laid back down and closed her eyes. Jeanie knew Darren would be on his side when he would begin to dream. His hand tucked under his cheek and head, mouth slightly agape. She pictured it in her head as she drifted off herself.

“How DID we get here?” she thought before dreaming herself of a game that started in sex but ended in murder.

Tag list: @sean-falco @robertsheehanownsmyass @nightmonsters @super-unpredictable98 @elliethesuperfruitlover @slutforrobbiebro @frogs--are--bitches @forenschik @bisexualnathanyoung @sugdenyoung

[atlafan]

Take it Slow - Part Sixty-Seven

a/n: okay this is my first shot at a harry:y/n fic, and it will be multiple parts. y/n had a bad experience with an ex over a year ago, and finally accepts her coworker and good friend Niall’s invitation to go on a blind date with his friend Harry.

Warnings: Fluff and Smut, what else is new?

Masterpost (all previous parts can be found in the masterpost)

Mondays had been your days to meet Harry at his office, but now that he was working on his studio, you thought it would be nice to bring him and your dad some lunch. You were so happy it was almost May. The weather was starting to get really nice. You were able to go for runs outside on the days it didn’t rain.

“Hey, wanna come with me to the studio for lunch? I’m buying.” You say to Niall.

“Sure! It’ll be nice to get out for a bit. I’m sure your dad will love to see me.” He laughs and you shake your head at him.

You stop by a sandwich shop on your way, and head into the studio. You bite your bottom lip when you see Harry. He was use a nail gun to put some cabinets up for what would soon be a kitchen area. You dad was finishing grouting the tile. Harry steps down from the step stool and wipes his forehead of sweat. He was wearing a snap-back to help catch some of the sweat. He looks over at you and Niall and smiles.

“Oi, looks like it’s lunch time.” He extends a hand to help your dad up.

“Hi guys! It looks better and better every time I come here.” You hand them the sandwiches and give your dad a hug.

“Hi Niall.” Your dad shakes his hand. “Been too long.”

“I know, things have been crazy.”

“They’ve put some picnic benches out at the park across the street do you guys wanna eat outside? It’s so nice out.”

Everyone agrees and you head outside. Harry looked so good in his loose jeans and work-boots, you couldn’t get over it. He sits next to you, and Niall sits next to your dad.

“Everyone from New York has finally left, thank god.”

“That’s great!” Harry says, relieved Mark was finally gone.

“How are classes going, Y/N?” Your dad asks.

“Oh, they’re good. I’ll finish this one in a couple of weeks, and the next won’t start until June so I’ll a month to take a little break.”

“Your brother’s coming in Friday to help out, maybe we could all have dinner together after.”

“Sure! You both could come over, I can cook something up instead of going out.” You say. Harry puts his hand on your knee.

“That works.” You dad smiles. You knew he always preferred a home cooked meal.

“I could work from home that day and watch the baby if he wants to bring him in too.” Harry’s face lights up.

“I’ll run it by him. I’m sure his wife could use the night off.”

Niall distracted your dad for a few minutes so you could kiss Harry goodbye.

“How are you feeling today? You were a little wobbly yesterday…” You say quietly.

“Oh, I’m fine now.” He smiles. “Thanks for checkin’ in.” He kisses the top of your head, and goes back into the studio.

When he gets home later that night he’s exhausted. You had dinner ready to go, and he inhaled it.

“Jesus, Harry, you were hungry. Do you want a second helping?”

“No, thank you.” He rubs his eyes. “I need to go to bed, I’m so tired, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay! Go, I’d rather you get your rest. I have homework to do anyways.” You give him a reassuring smile.

“Well, maybe I could just rest on the sofa so I’m still hanging out with you.”

“If you wanna go to bed you can, really, it’s okay.”

“No.” He pouts. Oh no, you’re tried, grouchy boy was making an appearance. “M’gonna go put some sweats on and then I’ll come sit with you.” You nod and he walks out into the bedroom.

You grab your laptop and sit on the sofa. Yo start typing away at your forum post, and Harry comes out in just a pair of sweat pants. He plops down next to you and waits for you to finish. The second your laptop is on the coffee table he his is resting in your lap.

“Let me get a pillow, it’ll be more comfortable for your he-“

“No.”

“Harry.” You sigh. “Do you wanna just lay between my legs then?”

“Yes.”

You adjust so your back is against the arm rest, and Harry’s head is on your stomach. Your hands play with his hair and it didn’t take him too long to drift off. Times like this you think back to when you two first really cuddled together. He had had a long day at work and he asked you to lay with him. You had been on top of him at the time and you both fell asleep. That was when you knew you really felt safe with him. You sigh happily as you watch TV.

//

Friday rolls around, and your brother drops the baby off with you so he can meet your dad and Harry at the studio. You had a wonderful day watching him while getting some emails done. You never really got alone time with your nephew. You played with him for a little while, and then took him for a walk in his stroller.

You decided on making a meatless baked ziti for dinner. It was something everyone could enjoy, and easy enough to make. You whip up a big salad to go with it, and take the baby with you to the market quick so you can grab a baguette.

Harry sends you a few pictures of the progress they’ve made. The kitchen and Mariah’s office was entirely done. Next week they’d work upstairs to get Harry’s office situated. Then all he’d have to do is paint.

His social media was getting more and more hits thanks to you, and he was already booking out into July. You were so proud of him.

You send him a selfie or two with the baby and it makes him swoon. He couldn’t wait to have a baby with you some day.

Around 6PM you hear them come in through the door. You were sitting on the sofa feeding the baby. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head from loving his bubby. You had your eyes on him and you were humming.

“Hi guys.” You say smiling. “Dinner’s gonna be another ten minutes in the oven, everything else is on the table already.” You finish giving the baby his bubby and you sit him up so he’ll burp. He perks up when he sees your brother. “Is that your daddy, did you miss him?” You coo. Your brother smiles and takes him from you.

“How was he?”

“Perfect! He’s the easiest baby in the world.” You go over and kiss Harry on the cheek.

“M’just gonna wash up quick.”

Your dad was walking around. You realize it’s the first time he’s been over and inside your apartment.

“Dad, I’m sorry, let me show you around. You and Kyle can clean up in the guest bath.” You take the baby back from your brother.

Harry meets you in the kitchen and you hand him off to him so you can take the ziti out of the oven.

“Smells so good in here.” He says holding the baby with one arm. “Hey little guy, did you have a nice day with your auntie?” He boops his nose. You smile at the two of them.

“I got a baguette from the market.”

“Did you cut it up already?”

“Yes, and I saved you an end piece just how you like. Go sit down, I’ll bring this out.” Harry kisses you and then goes out to the dining area.

“I’ll take him, he’s fading, I’m gonna put him in the car seat so he can sleep.”

Your brother drags the seat over and places your nephew in it and his eyes slowly close. Once he’s settled, the four of you sit down to eat.

“You guys got so much done today. It’s amazing.”

“Yeah, all the heavy stuff should be done next week, and then it’s off to painting.”

“Rachel’s gonna help Harry paint. You guys should see the color’s she’s picked out for the offices, it’s going to be beautiful.”

The chatter is nice and light around the table. You bring out some coffee and fruit for dessert.

“Y/N, when do you think you’ll have an official house warming?” Your brother asks.

“I’m not sure, we were thinking end of May so it would be warm enough to be able to go out on the balcony.” You point behind you.

“That’d be great. Do you guys have a grill or anything?”

“We have a little indoor one.” You look at Harry. “I didn’t even think of that. We need to get a table and some chairs for out there.”

“We could go to Lowe’s this weekend and check out the prices.”

“I’ve got some gift cards to there, hold on.” You dad takes out his wallet.

“Dad, you don’t have to-“

“I don’t mind.” He smiles. “Here, it hasn’t been used, but I can’t remember how much is on there.” He slides a card towards you.

“Thanks.” You smile.

Your brother and dad eventually leave. It was a great day and evening. You and Harry slump onto the sofa.

“You were cute when we got in.” He says drumming his fingers on your knee.

“What do you mean?” You giggle.

“Feedin’ the baby. It was cute. You were like hummin’ to him and stuff.”

“Harry…”

“What?”

“I know where this is going.”

“Where what is goin’? I can’t pay my beautiful, amazing, wonderful girlfriend a compliment all of a sudden?”

“Wow, so many descriptive words in one sentence.” You say sarcastically. “You see me with him, and then you have baby fever for like a week.”

“To be honest, I always have baby fever, I just don’t express it.” You laugh at him. “With me ownin’ my own business imagine how easy it’ll be for us someday. Your place has maternity leave, and then when you go back to work I could just bring him or her with me to work. I could have everything set up for them there. Then we’d come home and they’d be all excited to see their mummy.” You blink at him.

“Oh, so you’d get to spend all the time in the world with them?”

“I’d take ‘em to come visit you when I could, and you’d come visit us.”

“You know the maternity leave is actually really good. You get three months paid, and then you get another three months paid working from home. And then you can like choose to work half days and shit, it’s amazing. At least we wouldn’t need child care. My mom could come and help out like she does with my nephew.”

“They essentially give you six months off? That’s almost unheard of here.”

“I know, I’m telling you the CEO is incredible.”

“C’mere, come sit on me.” You giggle and crawl into his lap. He rests his hands on your hips, and rubs his thumbs over your lower stomach. “Can’t wait to put one in yeh some day.”

“Oh, Harry.” You swat a hand at his shoulder.

“What? You know I do, and then I’d get to watch your belly grow.”

“Right, because that’s every girl’s dream. To be littered with stretch marks, a big strip of hair, and for their belly buttons to disappear.”

“Stop, that doesn’t happen to everyone.”

“I’m just saying, it’s not as romantic as you make it seem. I’ll be ten times more hormonal. I may get to a point where I have to go on bed rest.”

“I’d just take care of you.”

“You have an answer for everything.” You lean down and kiss him. “I saw you bring your tool-belt in with you.”

“Jesus, do you have a fetish or somethin’?”

“Harry, you just look so sexy with it on, will you please go put it on?”

“It’s just the belt, the tools aren’t even it it.”

“So? C’mon, let’s roll play a little. You can be the handyman that’s come to fix something for me in the bedroom, and I’ll be the needy, unsatisfied housewife.”

“You would so easily cheat on your husband?”

“Harry…please don’t be cheeky right now.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll go change.”

You wait for him anxiously and he comes back a few minutes later with a white t-shirt, jeans, and his tool belt on.

“The hat! Please put the snap-back on.” He sighs and goes back to get it.

“Happy now?”

“Yes!” You get up from the sofa and walk over to him. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.” Both of his eyebrows raise as you walk around him. “You see, my husband’s away on business and there are just some things a girl can’t take care of by herself.” You bite your lip and smile at him.

“That’s too bad. If I had a girl like you, I’d never leave yeh to do anything by yourself.” Your smile grows. You’re happy he’s willing to play along. “Show me what needs tendin’ to.”

“It’s in the bedroom, please follow me.” You giggle quietly. He follows you in. You tug at his collar and start kissing him.

“What if your husband comes home early?”

“He won’t, he’s too busy fucking his secretary.”

“What a fool.” He tilts your chin up and he kisses you again. “I’d take really good care of you if you were my wife.”

“Why not show me a little preview then?”

He steps back and takes his shirt off. You ogle his body.

“Jesus, Harry, you look-“ He puts his hand over your mouth.

“Can’t use my name, it ruins the illusion.”

“What should I call you then?”

“I don’t know, your handyman?”

“Okay, okay.” You clear your throat to get back into character. “My Mr. Handyman, you’re quite built.”

You reach your hands out to feel the muscles on his stomach, then his arms, and then his back. He smirks at the way you’re feeling him up. You walk back in front of him to face him.

“Haven’t been touched in so long.”

“Think I can fix that.”

He lifts you up and plops you down on the bed. He lifts your shirt off and unhooks your bra. He kneads your breasts his tongue slips into your mouth. You groan against him.

“Lay back.” You scooche further on the bed, lay back so he can undo your pants. He sees your lace, cheeky underwear. “Sorta naughty to be wearin’ this while your husband’s away.”

“Well, I’m a pretty naughty girl, Mr. Handyman.” You bat your eyelashes at him, and start to rub your clit over your panties. “Need someone to punish me.”

Harry’s face lights up. He undoes the tool belt, and lets it drop to the floor. He undoes his jeans and takes his boxers off. He gets on the bed and between your legs. He kisses your covered clit, and licks over your folds. He never really teased you like this, but then again, it wasn’t really him. He sucks on you through the material, and rubs his thumb over you. He grips your hips and flips you over. You get up on your knees and elbows. He slowly drags your soaked underwear off, and throws it on the floor.

He smacks your butt, not too hard. He did it the way he always did. You remember one time, early on, when he told you he’d smack you right on your clit, and you wondered if he was planning to do that.

“Hey, time out for a second.” You look over your shoulder at him. “I think we should have, like, a safe word, just in case one of us gets uncomfortable with the role play…” He says.

“Okay, should it be like a color or something?”

“How about yellow?”

“Okay, sure, yellow.”

“Alright…back to it then.” You giggle at him. You appreciated that he always seemed to think of everything. “So…uh, Mrs…Housewife, let’s take care of this problem you’ve been havin’.”

Harry grips your hips, and feel him lick from your clit to your folds. He hasn’t eaten you out from behind since god knows when. You grip at the comforter, loving the way it feels. He licks up dangerously close to your other hole and you flinch. He knows not to lick you there, he’s just testing the waters a bit. You were dripping wet, so whatever he was doing obviously felt good. He bites down onto one of your ass cheeks and sucks harshly. You gasp as your back arches. Harry had sort stopped leaving the really purple marks on you. He sits back and watches the color change on your skin.

He takes you and flips you onto your back. You look up at him and nod. He spreads your legs and lines himself up with you, thrusting in with a ton of force. He gauges the reaction on your face. He wants to have fun, not send you into a flash. He rubs your clit to soothe you a little while you reach up to grip at his shoulders.

He grabs one of your legs to put over his shoulder, and rocks in and out of you. He was hitting you nice and deep like you needed.

“Oh my god.” Your head rolls back into the mattress.

“Need this don’t you?”

“So bad.” You groan.

“Sit up on your elbows.” You raise an eyebrow at him, but you do as he says.

His hand trails up from your clit and rests on your stomach for a second. He swears he can feel himself going in and out of you. It slides up further and you think he’s just going to knead your breast, until it’s around your throat. He grips you, but not tightly, just resting it there.

“Handyman should use his hands, don’t you think?” You nod your head yes. “And you said you’ve been naughty, so…I think the best thing I can do is choke you a little.” He drops your leg from his shoulder. His thrusts continue, but he moves around in a circle. “Can I do that?”

“Yes.” You say in a whisper.

His thumb rubs over the front of your throat lightly, and then he gets a better grip on you. His other hand rubs your clit while he rocks in and out of you. He lets you lay back down all the way and you wrap your legs around his waist. He applies a little more pressure and watches you contort under him. Your cheeks had a deep blush over them.

Usually you were the one to choke him, but he was in full control tonight. You didn’t mind it really. After pegging him last weekend he deserved to have a little of the power back. Plus, you just like the way his strong hand felt around you. You were feeling a little light headed, but in a good way. His other hand rubs harshly on your clit, and you know your end is near.

He feels you tighten around his cock and he fucks you faster. You start panting and gasping, but he doesn’t let up. He hits your g-spot and rubs your clit just at the right place and you feel yourself release. Your back arches off the bed, and he rubs your clit the entire time, rocking in and out of you. He lets go of your throat and you take in as much air as you can.

“Come in mouth.”

“What?”

“Please, god, come in my mouth.” You groan.

Harry lets out a moan as he pulls out of you. You prop yourself up on your elbows and open your mouth for him. He angles himself, give himself a few quick pumps and comes. He comes in your mouth, down your chin, and on your chest. He made a mess of you. He goes to get off of you but your grab his face with one of your hands. You make eye contact with him as you swallow what actually got into your mouth. You lick over your chin, and then you scoop up what you can from your chest onto your finger, and suck on your finger. His mouth falls open while he watches you.

You go to speak, but you burst out laughing instead. Harry sits there, straddling you, very confused.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” You say, still laughing. “I’m just nervous. I’ve never done anything like that before.” His shoulders fall with relief.

“I didn’t hurt your little neck did I?” He leans in to inspect you. “Shit…”

“What?”

“Well, you can kind of see where my rings indented, should’ve taken ‘em off.”

“That’s what happens when you don’t full commit to your character.” You giggle.

“You don’t care if someone sees this?”

“It’ll fade. It’s probably less noticeable than a hickey. Speaking of which, I can’t wait to see the nasty one you left on my ass.”

“Hey, that wasn’t me that was the handyman.”

“Mhm.” You lean up and kiss him. “Was it fun?”

“Yeah…we could do it again sometime.” He gets off of you and follows you to the bathroom. You gasp when you see the bruise on your ass.

“Jesus, Harry…”

“S’not that bad.” He sighs. “We’ve been doin’ a lot of new stuff lately.”

“Guess so.” You shrug as you start to wash your face, having thrown your hair up in a bun. He leans against the sink counter as you apply your face-wash.

“Have you been bored with anything, is that why you’ve wanted to try so much?”

“Bored?!” You rinse off and pat your face dry. “Bored?!” You repeat. His face was stone cold. “Harry, how could you possibly think that? I love the way we have sex. From the way you stretch me out, every time with you is like the first time.” You take your hair out of the bun and shake it. “We’ve been together almost nine months, I just feel really close and comfortable with you. Enough to try some things out that I never had before.”

“So you never role played with anyone, ever?”

“Never!” You start to brush your teeth and he does the same. “Hold on, lemme pee.” He crosses his arms and looks in the other direction. “See! Super comfortable with each other.” He looks at you and smirks as you flush the toilet. You wash your hands and he uses the toilet next. “I was no virgin when we met, Harry, but I’ve had so many first with you.” He follows you out of the bathroom. “I’ve never been this close with a boyfriend before.” You both get into bed. “I feel like because I can just be myself with you, I’ve had the freedom to discover some new things that I like.” He lays his head on your chest. “I could never be bored, in any aspect of our relationship. Every day is like a new adventure.”

“You really mean that?”

“Of course! We don’t have to role play again if you didn’t like it.”

“S’not that I didn’t like it, I just don’t know how to pretend to be some macho dude.”

“You just look so fucking hot when you wear that stuff.”

“And I’ll gladly wear it for you anytime.”

“If you could role play as anything, what would you wanna do? I mean, we got to do one of my fantasies, what’s one of yours?” He sits up to look at you.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah! We should do what you wanna do too, it’s not all about me.”

“Okay, the butt stuff was something we both wanted, whether you believe that or not. So you can stop feeling guilty.”

“I don’t fe-“

“Yes you do, I can tell. We’ll do it again, trust me.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Anyways, I know you don’t wanna fuck in your office, so we could just use the loft, but I’ve had this…fantasy of you being like this…I don’t know CEO or something, somebody hire up, and I’m like your….assistant or something.” You hadn’t expected Harry’s fantasy of you to be so dominant. You were intrigued.

“Please, go on.”

“And well…there’s like all this tension between us right? Because, you can’t fuck your assistant, that’s against the rules. And I feel the tension too, but I can’t fuck my boss.” You bite your inner cheek to try not to laugh. This was very well thought out. “So, like, here’s the scene, so there’s one night we’re working late. You’re crazy overworked.” You nod. “And then I’m there, and I’m like you know what you need? To get fucked. Oh, I forgot to mention, you’re mean to everyone but me. So, I’m like you need to get fucked.”

“And how do you get me to agree to it?”

“I come in with a bottle of wine and two glasses, and I’m like let’s take a break.”

“Okay.”

“And then, I say you look tense, I could rub your shoulders. And you’re a little buzzed from the wine, so you roll with it, and-“

“There’s a lot of build up here.”

“Shh, I’m getting to it. So then, I’m like I can’t really get at you, let’s take your jacket off Miss Y/L/N, and you’re like okay. Then when I massage you skin to skin you start moaning, and it just escalates from there.”

“Oh it does?”

“Mhm, I fuck you on the desk, and then we have to keep it a secret. We say it was a one time thing, but we don’t mean it.”

“And you just came up with this elaborate fantasy all on your own?”

“Well…mostly…some…one of my romance novels sort of had a similar plot. But man, thinking of you like that, it really gets me going.”

“So even though I’m the CEO, you’re still the one to ultimately seduce me?”

“Yeah, you’re too much of a goodie goodie to break the rules.” He smirks.

“Well shit, guess I’ll just have to surprise you with that sometime.”

“You’d be into all that?”

“Would you wear your glasses?”

“Sure.”

“Yeah, I’d be into all of that.” He beams at you.

“I love you, so much. You are so the girl for me.” He chuckles and kisses you all over your face.

“I love you too, doll.”

He lays back down on your chest, and you play with his hair while you continue with your pillow talk. Eventually you both drift off. Harry was the perfect guy for you. Sure you had your ups and downs, but what couples didn’t? Every day you felt so lucky to be with him, but you were feeling that way now more than ever.

[ragingbookdragon]

Those Who Fall To Fill Positions

A/N: I really want to post back all my non-reader inserts before posting all the reader inserts. Enjoy my cathartic Jason and Damian fic! -Thorne <3

The apartment was quiet as he walked through it from his bedroom into the kitchen. Patrol had been completed hours earlier, something he attributed to the recent incarceration of most supervillains of Gotham back into Arkham. Jason stood in front of his opened refrigerator, eyes scanning the contents as he wondered about what he could make with them. He eyed the tomatoes sitting on the shelf and thought about spaghetti but decided against it as he didn’t have premade noodles and making fresh dough would take too long. He closed the doors to the refrigerator slightly, gaze drifting to the take-out menus stuck to them. As he juggled between Japanese and Thai, a scuffing sound from another room caught his attention.

Jason shut the doors quietly, moving to a drawer along the counter where he pulled it open, removing the handgun he’d stowed away into it. His feet made no sound as he edged along the wall, and the closer he got to the doorway, the more shuffling he heard. He paused at the opening, listening intently to whatever…whoever…was making noise. Soft curses came from inside, and he leaned around enough to peek into the room; a small figured was bent over, picking up a lamp they’d knocked over, and Jason stepped inside, gun raised and ready. He thumbed the hammer, cocking it back, watching the figure stiffen and turn slightly. At first glance, Jason lowered his gun, confusion entering his voice as he asked, “Damian? Is that you?” The boy stood up, adjusting the much too large hoodie he had on; Jason frowned at the sight, knowing exactly who the hoodie had belonged to. He sighed, placing the gun on the table before moving up to him. “What are you doing here Damian?” The boy turned and Jason gasped as he saw his face covered in bruises, lip and left eyebrow split open, bleeding; he hopped over the coffee table, snatching the rag sitting on the side. He knelt, placing the rag against Damian’s bleeding lip. “Shit kid. What happened to you?” Damian said nothing, hazel eyes following Jason’s teal ones; Jason paused, brushing a bit of the boy’s hair from his forehead, careful to avoid the darkening bruises scattered across his olive skin. “Damian…are you…alright?” He could feel the boy’s jaw clench slightly, then he swallowed and whispered,

           “…I didn’t know where else to go…” Jason’s eyebrows furrowed and he leaned closer, guiding Damian to the couch where he sat him down, still kneeling in front of him.

           “What are you talking about kid? What happened to you? You look like you got into a fight with some gangbangers?” Damian reached up, taking the cloth from Jason, holding it tighter to his busted lip.

           “You should see what I did to them.” At that, Jason’s eyebrows shot up and he questioned,

           “You were fighting outside uniform?” Damian nodded and he sighed. “You’re not supposed to fight outside uni., Damian. It’s dangerous. Someone could’ve seen you.” Damian’s eyes narrowed and he bit out,

           “They didn’t.”

           “It doesn’t matter if they didn’t Damian. They could’ve.” He gestured to his younger brother, taking in his appearance. “What are you doing fighting thugs at two A.M.?” Shrugging shoulders seemed to be all the response he was going to get, and he sighed again, rising from the floor; he pointed at Damian, muttering, “Stay here and don’t move.” Jason left him sitting on the couch, returning moments later with a fresh sweatshirt; he walked over, setting it down beside him before motioning to the one he was wearing. “Take that off and give it to me.” Damian shook his head, and Jason rolled his eyes, reaching for the hem. “Do it or I’ll do it for you.” His fingers barely brushed the hem, and Damian recoiled from him as if he’d been slapped, shouting,

           “Don’t touch it!” Jason dropped his hand, the anger beginning to simmer within his reason.

           “Kid, it’s covered in blood and dirt. Let me have it so I can wash it.” He pointed to the one next to him. “You can wear that while it’s in the washer.” Damian shook his head once more, and Jason dropped his head into his hands, massaging his temples. “Damian, this doesn’t have to be as hard as you’re making it man. Just give me the sweatshirt.” His brother shook his head again, and Jason inhaled sharply through his nose, grumbling quietly, “Why are you even wearing it anyway?” The response he received was so soft, he barely heard it.

           “…It was his favorite sweatshirt…” Jason raised his head, realization crossing his vision as he watched tears pour down olive cheeks; his face fell and he muttered,

           “Oh, shit kid-I-I’m sorry.” Damian shook his head, dropping the rag as he raised his hands, rubbing furiously at his face. Jason didn’t know what to say, but he didn’t need to, the words already tumbling from Damian’s lips.

“I didn’t get to say goodbye…and now he’s gone…and I don’t…and I don’t…” His lips wobbled, and he looked to his older brother, hazel eyes wide with grief as he sobbed, “And I don’t know what to do!” His words dissolved into inconsolable wails, and Jason sat stunned; he’d never seen his brother cry, let alone bawl like this. After a moment, he stood and bent over, lifting Damian into his arms. The boy’s breath hiccupped, and he stuttered, “Wha-What are you doing?” Jason grunted, hoisting the boy higher.

           “Be quiet.” Damian began to wiggle in his arms and Jason threatened, “I’ll drop you out the window if you don’t stop moving.” The boy obeyed, going still, and Jason carried him to the bathroom, plopping him on the sink. He turned, plugging the drain, then he turned the water on; he spun, leaving Damian, then returned with the former sweatshirt and a pair of basketball shorts. He sat them on the counter then moved back to the door and said, “Come find me when you’re done.” He shut the door, leaving Damian to clean up.

An Hour Later:

           Damian wandered the halls of Jason’s apartment, clutching the bloodied sweatshirt to his chest. Jason’s clothes were so much bigger than his, the sweatshirt he wore edging just above his shins. He kept having to tug the tie of the basketball shorts tighter and higher as they kept falling down his waist. Eventually he came upon Jason sitting in his bedroom, a collection of books spread around him on the bed. Jason didn’t look at him as he called, “Come ‘ere kid.” Damian followed his command, walking over to the side of the bed; Jason tipped his head to the side, holding up the sheet. “Climb in.” Damian raised an eyebrow and quizzed,

           “Why?” His brother rolled his eyes, shaking the sheet.

           “Because I said so. Climb. In.” Damian eyed him for a moment then did so, curling into Jason’s side. Jason gestured to the books around the bed. “Which one catches your eye?” The boy glanced at them, then pointed to one; Jason picked it up and asked, “Haven’t you already read this series?” Damian nodded and murmured,

           “With him.” Jason inhaled and nodded, opening the book, the words flowing evenly from him. An hour or so later, the book had been cast aside, and Damian had curled up into Jason, Jason’s chin resting on his head as he rubbed his back. Damian broke the silence, whispering, “…I miss him…” Jason nodded, throat tightening as he muttered,

           “I do too kid…I do too.” Jason paused, then pulled away until he could look into Damian’s eyes. “Look Damian…I’m not that good at the whole big brother thing…but…I’ve got you kid.” Damian blinked and returned to his original position, tucking his head under Jason’s chin. A moment passed, then Jason felt his shirt begin to dampen followed by a question that broke Jason’s heart.

           “…Do you think Dick is proud of me?” Jason rested a hand along Damian’s head, thumb brushing along the side of his ear, and promised,

           “Kid…wherever Dick is now…I know he is.” Damian sniffed, hand brushing under his nose.

           “He doesn’t hate me?”

           “No kid…he loved you more than the world…his baby brother…my, baby brother.” Damian didn’t respond for a few minutes, the shaking of his tiny body telling Jason that all he would’ve managed to even say would’ve been choppy sentences. Jason grinned slightly and murmured, “I bet Dick snot all over his mom’s shoulder when he saw her again.” A quiet bubbling laugh broke rose in Damian’s throat and he replied,

           “He probably snot all over his father too.” Jason chuckled, nodding his head.

           “Yeah…Dick was a boohooer wasn’t he?”

           “He snot all over my shoulder when I came back.” Jason laughed again, remembering the scene.

           “Yeah and he wasted an entire box of tissues too…and he wasn’t even done then.” The two dissolved into laughter, and when they fell silent again, Jason murmured, “Damian, I can’t replace Dick…and I don’t want to…but I’ll be there for you like he was…I promise you.” His younger brother was quiet, then whispered,

           “Thank you ahkhi.” Jason smiled, pressing a kiss to his head, replying,

           “Always habibi.”

[all1e23]

Swallow [Pt.13]

Chapter:  Goodbye is All We Have

Pairings: Bucky x Reader

Summary:  Goodbyes are not forever. 

Warnings:  Adulty themes. Yes, I’m a grown-up, and I said adulty themes. Sweet, soft, protective Bucky. (Yes, that’s a warning. That could kill you!)  ANGSTY. A lot of Angst. I’m so sorry.

A/N:   It’s the end babies! Well, sorta. Pretty important epilogue still to come and depending on how badly y’all cry over this I might release the epilogue tomorrow morning instead of Sunday. All of this has a purpose. Just remember the whole point of this story is about how they continue to lose each other over and over only to find their way back to each other time and time again. Send me love because I’m needy.  No beta so read at your own risk. ;-)

***My fics are not to be saved or posted on any other sites without my written permission. Reblogs are my jam though! Thanks!*

“I want to see Y/n one more time before I sign anything. I need to explain why all of this is happening, and I owe her a real goodbye. I’m only askin’ for a few minutes alone with my girl before I lose her. No cameras and no cuffs.” Bucky raised his arms and made the chains jingle against the metal leg of the table he was shackled to. “You’ll have the confession and me soon enough.” 

Eddie had been quiet the entire drive and stayed that way. Bucky assumed he was processing Bucky’s conditions. The second they made it to the station he was whisked off to an interrogation room where he was chained to a metal table that was bolted into the cement floor. A little unnecessary if you asked Bucky. No one was really asking him much of anything anymore. He didn’t have anything else to offer or barter with now that it was done. 

Still, he hoped, Eddie wouldn’t screw him over. Not after everything, Bucky was handing him. 

“You know you don’t call the shots right? That’s not how this works. You calling the shots is how you ended up here.” 

Bucky leaned back letting the metal legs of the chair scrape against the floor and eyes Eddie. He was certainly more confident now that they were on his turf, but Bucky still saw him for what he was. A cheap excuse for a good man. 

“You know what? I think the trauma from today rattled my brain a little and I’m havin’ trouble remembering. Was it Red Hook Drive? I can’t remember the street name. In fact, I don’t recall hardly any of the details from that day–” 

“Fine,” Eddie snapped as he paced back and forth a few times, gnawing his lip. He wouldn’t have time to clear it. Without a doubt, Steve had gone straight back to the clubhouse to grab Y/n and Fury. He couldn’t risk Bucky going back on his confession. They needed him for the trial against Schmidt, and yeah, he wanted Bucky. Maybe he was petty and childish, but he wanted to know Bucky was finally getting what he deserved. Eddie stalked towards the door and conceded to Bucky’s request, “Give me an hour, and you can have twenty minutes with her. After that, you’re signing the confession, or I’m going after every single member of your club.”  

It took closer two hours before there was any hint that Eddie was going to follow through on his word, and in those excruciating one hundred and twenty minutes, Bucky had a hard time keeping his cool. He felt like a raw nerve, exposed, and unstable. The walls were closing in on him, and the tension in the air burned. He just wanted to see you, touch you one more time. Bucky was near losing control when the metal door swung open and hit the wall behind it, an officer strolled up to Bucky and uncuffed him without a word. He was gone, the door shut before Bucky could ask what was happening. 

He rubbed his wrists where the metal had begun to rub, and he wondered if they were bringing in someone to sign his confession or if you were actually here. His curiosity was answered when the door opened once more, and Eddie ushed you through the door. 

The snap of the door shutting echoed through the room, and you threw yourself into Bucky’s open arms once you were sure you were alone. You buried your face against his neck, breathing him in for the first time in nearly twenty-four hours. It was far too long. The way your skin turned cold when he was gone made you hate any moment you had to spend apart. Bucky felt the same icy dread every time you were out of reach, and it seemed unfair he had to return to the ice right when he was beginning to warm. Bucky enveloped you in his arms and simply held you. He held you in silence for a long, long time. He wasn’t sure for how long you lingered there like that, but he wasn’t going to rush. 

He would never get the chance again.

“Bucky, what’s going on? Why are you in here?” You asked against the soft skin of his neck where you had your face hidden – Bucky assumed it was to keep your tears hidden, he felt them on his skin but didn’t call attention to them. If you wanted it to go unnoticed, he would respect that. 

“Is everything okay?” He hated how small and broken your voice sounded, and knowing it was his fault only made his decision easier. 

“It will be soon. I took care of the problem. You and the club are going to be fine.” At that, you pulled back, no longer caring if Bucky saw the tears catching in your lashes, not quite ready to fall. 

“What does that mean? Does it have anything to do with Johann Schidmt sitting in a holding cell?”

Bucky brushed your hair out of your face and nodded solemnly, “I made a deal with Eddie and the D.A. I gave them some dirt on the club for an open case from a few years ago and Schidmt if they agreed to leave you and the club alone. With my record, I got fifteen years for possession of illegal guns.” 

Fifteen years was a long time, and he deserved every year for the things he has done. Fury had somehow managed to get them to agree to the seven years he asked for. Bucky wasn’t going to question how he did it, but he wasn’t going to let you waste the next seven years with weekend visits and prison phone calls on a man that will never be good enough for you. 

He’s known how this was going to end from the first time he told you he loved you. Bucky has never deserved you, and it was time you found someone who did. 

You frowned and shook your head in confusion, “That wasn’t you or the club.” 

“I know, but they needed something big, and it’s not like I don’t deserve it. The club isn’t innocent, and my hands aren’t exactly clean.” 

It didn’t hurt that he could keep an eye on Schmidt while he was locked up. 

Bucky could see all of it in your eyes, and you processed what he was telling you. Your thoughts were so loud they were screaming at him – you were desperately trying to figure out how to fix this, stop all of this from happening and right then, he knew he had made the right choice in lying to you. You would never move on if you thought there was a chance for you to be together,  “Okay. Okay, I bet Clint can be ordained online or Sam. Sam would love to say he married us and we can do a small ceremony after you get booked–” 

No. That unquestionably was not happening. 

“Stop, baby. Stop.” He clasped your hands to calm your panic and brought them to his lips where he placed several gentle kisses to trembling fingertips. He didn’t bring you here for this, and you didn’t have time to argue. 

“I’m not having a wedding here with you. You are so much more than a felon and a jailhouse wedding.”  

“I just want you. I don’t care about the rest.” And he loves you for that, but he refuses to give you that life – his mother’s life. He wasn’t going to leave you at home, living on pause, waiting for him to come back just to turn everything upside down again when he finally showed up. You could see in his eyes it wasn’t happening. He wasn’t going to give in to you like he usually would, and it was pointless to fight with time running out. 

“Fine, then I can wait. I can visit you on weekends. We can write letters. There’s a bit of romance in that, right? And, you can always get out early–” 

“No, baby,” He smiles despite the lump in throat and chains tightening around his heart. “No waiting for me this time. You’re going to go start the life you always wanted. Get married in that little white chapel out on 95. Have a ton of babies or don’t if you don’t want to. Finally, start your career. Fall in love with someone who can give you all the things I never could. 

“I should have left with you when you asked all those years ago. I was young and stupid and thought I had to prove somethin’ to my dad and maybe to myself. I thought if we left together and it was only you and me, you would see I’m not really worth much of anything. I want– I need you to know, I wanted to go that night. Every part of me wanted to run away with you, and I’ve regretted my choice every day since you left.”

You didn’t need to know he came back for you for that morning, that he was ready to leave with you then and never look back. It would only hurt you, and he’s hurt you enough. Bucky just had to make sure you knew it was never your fault, every failure in your relationship was on him no matter how you spun it. If he had only trusted in you and left when you asked, he wouldn’t be standing before you, breaking your heart. 

“We can still figure it out…” You hiccuped through the tears that had finally fallen. You hadn’t realized they had spilled onto your cheeks until you tasted them on your lips. Bucky smiled wistfully and wiped away the freshly spilled tears with his thumbs. 

“No, Y/n, we can’t. This is it, pretty girl, but you can start something new and good without me.” He let go of you long enough to pull the chain from around his neck and held it out for you to take, but you didn’t want it back. Not like this and not then. You frantically shook your head and gripped his biceps as if you could sense your time was drawing near its end. 

“I don’t want it this way.” You heard yourself whisper.  

“It was always meant to be yours, baby. I knew it the second I saw it.” He slipped the chain over your head and touched your cheeks, cupping your face in his hands. You leaned into his touch and Bucky kissed you, swift and deeply. It was salty from your tears, but sweet like all your kisses are. There wasn’t time for all the kisses he wanted to give, but he needed it to be one you would both remember. He was going to miss the way you leaned into him to tug on the chain around his neck, the softness of your lips and the whimper that slipped out when he tried to pull away. 

He was going to miss you. 

“I’ve failed you a lot over the years, in every way imaginable, but I’ve loved you from the very first day we met, and I’ll love you till my last.” 

The door creaked, and a gust of cold wind hit them. Bucky peered over his shoulder, he knew it was Eddie but seeing him standing there made it real. Their time was officially up. Their tale has reached its last page. He had asked they wait to cuff him until he was out of your sight. That would explain the seven officers, but by the smirk on Eddie’s face, he was not going to follow through with that promise. He looked back at you and pressed a lingering kiss to your forehead. 

“Don’t forget what I said, baby. You’ll always be my swallow,” Bucky whispered and slowly stepped back from you, putting his hands behind his back. The cold metal on his wrists stung – not for the reasons Eddie hoped. 

Losing his freedom was not the loss that would break him in the end.

There were a thousand things you could say but none that would come close to one last I love you. “ Al-ways, Buck. I-I love y-you.” 

Bucky smirked, “I love you, too, pretty girl. Always.” 

Being yanked and dragged down the hallway, Bucky felt empty. His chest hallow, heart removed and left there in the room with you. There was no light at the end of the tunnel for the path he chose, and you would never find your way back to him. 

Not this time. 

“Rogers and your brother are waiting for you. I’m sorry things had to go this way–” Eddie was still talking, but you had stopped listening. You quickly wiped away any signs of tears as you waited for him to finish up whatever bullshit speech he was giving you. You’ve heard it all before. They were all the same – It was for the best, and you would move on to something better.

It wasn’t, and you wouldn’t. 

“You never had anything, did you?” You asked, staring at the vacant hallway Bucky was just standing in only seconds earlier. “On the club I mean. You used me. You used my love for my brother and Bucky against me. You tricked me into thinking I had no other choice but to meet with you because you knew it would get back to the club and lead to this.” 

“I didn’t have the information I led you to believe I had, no, but this was important. That club has been poisoning everyone around them for decades–” You turned to face him, and the hardened look in your eyes had his tongue twisted, and the words he had rehearsed for you faded away as if they never existed. 

“And all you had to do was wait for me to come home. You knew Bucky would do whatever it took to keep me out of it and the second I came home, you jumped at the chance. You pretended to care what happened to me. You told me I deserved more than Bucky and his life, but you don’t care what I deserve, do you? You wanted this bust and used me to get it.” 

“Y/n…” 

You stepped towards Eddie, crowding his space but raised your voice enough for the officers around the two of you to hear as you scolded him, “You think you’re the better man because you’re wearing a badge? That piece of metal doesn’t make you a good man. You’re not even a tenth of the man he is. You can spend the rest of your life trying, but you are always going to fall short.” 

You brushed passed Eddie and ran straight for Clint who was waiting just outside the door. “He’s gone, Clint. It’s done.” You babbled. 

Clint bound you in his arms, secured you in a tight embrace, and shielded you from the eyes of those around you. He guided towards the doors and whispered against the shell of your ear, It’s okay, bug. We will figure it out. Deep breaths. I’ve got ya. Eddie came racing down the hall, chasing after you, intent on apologizing or at least saying something to help you move forward and maybe ease a bit of his own guilt but he was met with a hard wall of muscle, blocking him from getting any closer to you or any other member of Steve’s family. 

Steve crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at Eddie. A distorted, angry laugh rumbled from Eddie’s chest, and he stepped back, holding up his hands. “You want to tell me Bucky is the better man? Just because he’s a felon doesn’t mean he’s a bad man? Save it. His little lady beat you to the punch.” 

Steve laughed, hollow and full of resentment. “Nope. I don’t need to rub it in your face when it looks as though you got the message, but you should be careful, detective. I had a chat with some of our friends, and it looks like they also had a new prospect sniffing around. A lot of clubs don’t take well to rats within their ranks. All that sneaking around might come back to bite you in the ass.” 

Steve grinned and patted Eddie on the shoulder on his way out, following close behind you and Clint. Eddie took in the officers standing around him and rapt in their stares and whispers. Steve Rogers would never let him get away with taking Bucky in like this and Eddie had a suspicion Steve wouldn’t stop until retribution was obtained. He collapsed into the chair with a huff and tore his shield from his chest dropping onto his desk. 

Maybe he didn’t deserve it after all. 

You sat in the back of Steve and Peggy’s SUV where your brother had put you, and Peggy’s arms were settled around you where they had no intention of moving from. You watched the stone walls and gates as they faded into the distance behind you— your heart seized, your skin burned and the air in your lungs turned to smoke with the loss.

“We will figure it out. I promise, darling.” Peggy assured you. She continued on, but you had no idea what she was saying, her voice was soothing to listen to despite it though. 

Peggy continued to hold onto you and let you sag against her as she prattled on about your next step, this new part of your life. You didn’t know how to tell her there was no new part of your life. How could you move and start a new life? You’ve loved him for way too long to simply love someone else. You didn’t know how to not love Bucky. For more than half your life you’ve loved Bucky, and now you were left with half a heart – half gone or half still holding on, it didn’t matter, half of you was gone forever either way you spun. You didn’t want to admit it out loud just yet. Maybe you would be able to tomorrow, but for tonight you were holding on.

No matter how far you were pulled apart, you will always find your way back to each other. You just had to have faith and trust that you will find each other again one day.

Previous // Epilogue 

[plus-size-reader]

Circumstances

Dean Winchester x Plus size!reader

Word Count: 2,000 words

Warnings: none

Summary: Working a case with your ex, Dean Winchester

———————————————————————————————————

You and Dean hadn’t been in the same room as one another for almost five years. After the way that things had ended between you, it was better to just keep your distance.

However, in the business that you were in, that wasn’t always possible.

Anyone who knew anything knew that hunting alone was never a good idea and you were bound to run into a familiar face if you were trying to do it. In this case, Sam Winchester was your familiar face.

At first you weren’t even sure if it was him. After all, the last time you’d seen Sam, he was only 24 and not nearly as tall as the man sitting in front of you. Though a second glance confirmed it, he was definitely Sam Winchester.

He was not only taller than the last time you’d seen him, but his hair was much longer too. He had grown up so much, and for a brief moment, you wondered if he would even remember you…

Which was kind of silly.

Of all the girls that Dean had ever seen, whether it be seriously or over night, Sam had never forgotten a face. And in that time, no one had made as much of an impression as you.

You and Dean were together longer than anyone else that he’d dated, and of all those girls, you had always been Sam’s favorite. You two had always had fun, playing practical jokes on Dean and watching movies.

The two of you had the same taste in movies, something that Dean always complained about. It spanned from classic monster movies, like Frankenstein and the Creature from the Black Lagoon and superhero films, like the one’s he’d grown up reading comic books about.

You were the best.

Which was past of why it was so hard on him when the two of you broke up. Dean lost a girlfriend, but Sam had lost one of the only close friends he’d ever had.

“Is that you Sam?” you asked, covering your ass in case you were going crazy. The last thing you wanted to do was get all sappy over a complete stranger. It had been long enough now since the break up that it wasn’t awkward.

You had grown up, and matured past something so childish.

The actual catalyst for the breakup wasn’t even something between you and Dean, not really. You wanted to be his partner in all things, you wanted commitment and family along with hunting, and he just didn’t.

You knew that the idea of being so attached in this life made him nervous, with all the dangers but as far as you were concerned, it was worth it.

He didn’t think so…

It was only a matter of time before you couldn’t handle it anymore. It was too nerve-wracking, wondering where your life was headed. You couldn’t do it forever, so you knew that you would have to leave.

Hunting on your own for a while wouldn’t kill you.

Though you had to admit, seeing an old friend was just what you’d been missing.

The man, who had previously had his back turned to you, turned around quickly, nearly spilling the coffee he was holding. “Y/N? What are you doing here?” he wondered, shocked himself that you were in front of him.

Never in his life did he think he’d see you again.

All you could do was laugh. “I’m following a wendigo case up the mountain, you?” you shot back, highly doubting that he was doing anything supernatural around here. As far as you knew, he had went back to college and was making six-figures as a fancy lawyer.

It wasn’t until you heard another voice from behind you that you realized just how wrong you had been…

“Hurry up Sammy, we have places to be” it was a bark, like an order, though you both knew that the older man had no real control over the actions of the younger.

It was Dean.

You would have known that voice anywhere. You had heard him laugh, moan, scream, and cry using that voice.

Right now though, you could hardly breathe.

It hadn’t occurred to you that Sam and Dean would be together after all this time. However, it was clear now that you should have thought about that.

As ready as you were to see Sam, you were just as unprepared to see Dean.

You weren’t even sure what to say. Luckily, you didn’t have much time to think about it before he was standing right in front of you, beside his baby brother.

��Sammy?” you repeated ridiculously, not even thinking about it.

It was almost as if you had fallen into the same routine as all those years ago. You didn’t even think about the words as they fell from your lips, shocking all three of you in turn.

Sam moved to laugh, though he was quick to cover it up.

“What’s so funny?” Dean bit, stopping in his tracks as soon as his eyes fell on you, really fell on  you for the first time in five years.

It was as if the words had caught in his throat, the color draining from his face in an instant.

It had been so long since he’d seen you, and your sparkling eyes, and your teasing smile. Everything about it was perfect, except for one glaring detail...you weren’t his anymore.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” he asked finally, after being silent for way too long. You slightly smiled, finding irony in the fact that Dean and Sam had asked you the same question, though you didn’t say that.

Instead, you swallowed the lump in your throat, making it impossible to speak.

“Wendigo hunt” Sam supplemented, coming to your rescue. He could see how much the two of you were struggling to communicate and in all honesty, he couldn’t blame you. After everything that you two had been through together, it wasn’t shocking.

That, if anything, was going to get to Dean.

Because as it would turn out, Sam and Dean were also on a wendigo hunt.

“You’re hunting a wendigo too?” he asked, shocked that you would ever attempt something like that on your own. It was insane to go on such a dangerous hunt like that without a partner.

You would die and as much as you and Dean didn’t get along anymore, he didn’t want anything to happen to you. So, he did the only thing he knew to do...he offered to help.

“Come with us, it’s safer that way” he suggested, though you knew that Dean wasn’t asking.

Dean was never asking.

Instead, he was giving you the courtesy of making you think that you had a choice. Still, you knew that, as much as you hated it, he had a point.

It was likely that a wendigo could kill all three of you if you were off your game.

That was just the way it was.

You just had to swallow your pride and agree. “Fine, but I’m in charge” you shrugged, turning around to gather all your bags.

It was only, kind of, a joke.

You had gotten really good at the whole hunting thing since separating from Dean. You weren’t going to let him take over the whole thing.

After all, this was your hunt in the first place. It was just easier to hunt in a group.  

That was all this was.

You weren’t going to do anything other than hunt. Getting distracted wasn’t an option anymore...or so you thought.

~

You thought that you could do it.

The wendigo was right in front of you, snarling and growling.

You did your very best, raising your gun to the level of its eyes in your scope. Unfortunately, before you could pull the trigger, you felt a huge blow to the side of your head.

The contact knocked you out cold, your body falling to the ground in a pile.

...

It wasn’t until you woke up that you realized what had happened.

You were in a strange place, with a throbbing in your skull. More than anything though, you couldn’t get over the fact that Dean was staring at you.

He was leaning over in a chair against the wall, his gaze focused down on the floor.

Unannounced to you, Dean was currently dealing with the idea of losing you completely. It had been hard on him when you two broke up but the idea of your death was something else entirely.

He wasn’t prepared for it.

You were his everything, whether you wanted him or not and he wasn’t prepared to lose you, now or ever.

“What are you doing?” you asked, it was rare for Dean to get so spacey, usually he was on his game. You hadn’t seen him like this in years, and it was kind of freaking you out.

As soon as you spoke, the man straightened up, his body tense for a moment before every one of his muscles relaxed. Every single emotion he’d ever felt flashed across his eyes as a smile finally found its way onto your face.

“You’re alive?” he sighed, shocked at the moment. It had been days since your accident and with every hour that passed, the hope of you waking up dwindled more and more. He was constantly terrified that he’d walk in to find you without a pulse.

Still, you couldn’t help but laugh at the way he said it.

There was something so funny about the tone in his voice, at the very idea of you not being dead...like he didn’t expect you to wake in the first place.

“Careful Winchester, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think that you were worried about me:” You teased, moving up in the bed to rest your back against the headboard. The movement shot a pain through the right side of your body but you did your best to cover it up.

The last thing you needed was to get him really worried about you.

Dean had always been really protective over you and, like they often said, old habits died hard.

“Shut up, you almost died” he bit, standing from the chair, making his way over to you. As best he could tell, your fever had went down and you didn’t seem to be concussed, which was always a good sign.

As of right now, you were getting a clean bill of health, aside from a little bit of bruising on the inside of your chest cavity and a hell of a bump to the head.

You looked good, even all banged up.

“Almost, but I didn’t” you hummed, winking at him. You were baiting him, he knew that but it had been so long since he had really got to talk to you.

He just let you do it

“You’re right, you didn’t” he smiled, sitting down beside you on the bed, his added weight making the mattress dip. “And you know something?” he asked, leaning over your body so that his face was an inch or so from your own.

All you could do was hum, it was your way of asking him to continue. Your way of asking him to elaborate...and he sure as hell was gonna.

“I’m damn glad” he purred, getting closer and closer to you with each word falling from his lips.

You both knew that this was some kind of mistake but you weren’t going to do anything to stop it. The separation had been what was best for you back then, but something about this moment made you think that something had changed.

Dean was different. He was older, smarter, more tired than you’d ever seen him and it made you want to wrap him up in your arms and never let go.

And the moment that his lips met your own again for the first time in almost three years, you knew that something had most definitely changed.

[viskovie]

Almost Like Family

Chapter I

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      Following his return to the States, Matt would like to say he was productive. Would like to say that he found a job, connected with old friends again, and started looking at apartments so he could finally move out of his mom’s house. In reality, he put in an application for college - after haphazardly picking a degree - and then lay around doing nothing. For six weeks.

      He knows he needs to get his shit back together, but how the hell are you supposed to do that when some of it’s still in some godforsaken war camp on the other side of the world? His mom is worried about him, and usually that would be enough to guilt him into getting off his ass. But now it just gets under his skin. He’s been to war - literally. If he was only a boy before he left, he definitely isn’t anymore. 

      Part of him is uncomfortably aware that he’s being unreasonable. Of course his mom’s worried. Her baby just survived hell on earth - the same hell she lost her husband to. She doesn’t want to lose him, too. But still. Matt doesn’t appreciate the coddling. She was an army wife, so she of all people should know to leave him be. 

      The first thing he bought when he finally had his feet back on familiar ground was an armful of the most American fast-food he could think of. Later that evening, with his system flooded with relief and his belly full, he’d seriously considered ditching the whole college idea in favour of aimless travel. He’d wanted to buy a car and just roam the country until he’d seen everything there was to see. But his mom had - luckily - had the foresight to shut him out of his bank account before he got home. No better way of making your kid stick to the plan than not giving them any other options, he’d thought moodily, but he knows she was right. He still wants to travel around the States, but he reasons that he can do that after he’s graduated and got a good job. 

      He wants to be a veterinarian, although it was kind of a snap-decision. Besides, it’ll be a better reason to call himself a vet than going to war is. Will ever be. His time there was… useless. A waste of resources; of life… He doesn’t want to think about it. 

      He’s been having this recurring nightmare ever since he got home. He’s standing out in the desert - somewhere familiar, but he can never place exactly where. He always looks around, trying to remember, and when he turns back Chutsky’s walking toward him. There’s blood on his helmet and smeared all over his face. His gun is in his hands, but the trigger is missing. He gets close. Close enough for Matt to see how glassy and vacant his eyes are. He looks ragged and disoriented. He’s a shell of himself; all the life in him gone. Sometimes he just stands there, with a sad, longing look on his face, but sometimes he talks directly to Matt. 

      “Why didn’t you help me?” 

      “Why didn’t you try to stop me?” 

      “I had a family…”

      It’s infinitely worse when he speaks, because Matt can never answer. He doesn’t know what to say. He’d been too busy covering his own ass to worry about anyone else’s, and his teammate had died for it. Chutsky always looks at him like he’s waiting for a response, but when he seems to realise that Matt isn’t going to reply, he turns away with a lonelier expression than before. He breaks into a sprint, gets a few steps away, and gets gunned down. He hits the dirt exactly like he did in Baqubah. The shot echoes in Matt’s head even after he’s sat up in bed, drenched in an icy sweat. It’s his fault that Chutsky’s dead. His fault, and there’s nothing Sergeant Harper can say that will change his mind. 

      He often wonders how Harper’s doing. The Sergeant’s a career soldier, so for him this is probably just an intermission before the next tour. Matt doesn’t envy him, but he does miss him. He wonders if Harper ever reconciled with his fiancée (Anne? Andrea?). He doesn’t like to think about that either. 

      Matt had discovered his sexuality in ninth grade. It had not been a particularly fun experience; he’d immediately told his best friend at the time, but the friend hadn’t taken it well. He was never mean about it, and never told anyone else (which Matt was, admittedly, grateful for) but there had been a weird tension between them ever since. Eventually, they drifted apart and didn’t really speak to each other again. In eleventh grade, Matt had his first - and last - boyfriend. Once they’d moved past the excitement of a new relationship, the whole thing had been disappointingly average. It had ended quietly. There were no hard feelings, but they were never friends. All in all, Matt isn’t proud of his attractions and tries to keep them under wraps as best he can. He’d been doing a pretty damn good job of it, too - until he’d met Sergeant Harper. 

      It hadn’t been some Romeo and Juliet, love-at-first-sight bullshit. There were plenty of good-looking men around, and statistically speaking some of them should’ve been gay, but something about Harper fascinated Matt. 

      It could’ve been anything, really. Even after fifteen months in Iraq, living practically on top of one another, Matt still couldn’t say he knew much about him for certain, besides what he knew as a soldier. Harper was fair, he knew when to pull rank and when to let things slide, he did his best to keep his team safe, and he showed a sensitivity that most of the other blokes had lost long ago. The only thing Matt didn’t like was that he never stepped in when Burton, Enzo and Chutsky’s teasing had gotten nasty. Harper had a “fight your own battles” attitude, which was all well and good, but sounded frustratingly like his middle school teachers. And so Matt did his best to ignore them, but it was hard not to feel alone when he noticed Harper watching and never intervening. 

      He also had this weird ability to know what Matt was thinking. After he’d broken his hand, Harper had asked how it happened. The question was casual, innocent, but Matt couldn’t quite force himself to make eye contact as he answered. The sergeant wasn’t an idiot. No way he bought the story, even if he never really mentioned it again. The rational part of Matt knew he couldn’t actually read minds, but still. He’d tried not to take any chances.

      He knows he’d been in hot water by the time he finally left. He thinks back on their conversation in Baqubah, after the mission that was supposed to be quick and painless and ended up being a total shitshow, when he finally came clean and told Harper everything. Why he’d broken his own hand, how it’d happened, why he’d even signed up in the first place. Harper had nodded - he hadn’t brushed him off or told him to suck it up like the others would’ve, and Matt couldn’t tell him how much he appreciated it. Harper seemed to understand. But Matt thinks he’d confessed more than he’d meant to, even without explicitly saying it. Harper had given him a long, searching look before going back to his cigarette. Matt can’t stop thinking about it. 

      They were never exactly close, but did Harper suddenly seem to hold him at arm’s length? Was it because he’d known more than he was letting on, was it because he was still in shock over that ill-fated raid, or was it all in Matt’s head? Had he projected a little too much, desperately hoping for reciprocation and terrified of rejection? 

      He sighs, staring up at his bedroom ceiling. The paper stars he stuck up in sixth grade are still there, hanging from their fine white threads in a loose cloud. He thinks the original idea had been to cover his entire ceiling in them, make it look like a galaxy. He can’t quite remember. What would his twelve-year-old self think of him now? He’d dreamed of working at NASA. If he searches, he’ll probably find all the drawings and plans to build cool space tech that he made when he was a kid. The thought makes him smile, but it’s heartbreakingly bittersweet. Poor little Matt; lost his dad at six, lost his best friend at fifteen, and now losing himself at twenty-two. 

      His mom knocks gently on the door, tactfully waiting for invitation to enter. She’s holding the home phone. She looks a little sad, but quietly knowing. 

      “It’s for you, hun.” She says, holding it out for him. Matt accepts it and she gives him a small, tired smile. 

      “Don’t keep him waiting too long, he seems sweet.” She adds, shutting the door again as she leaves. Matt brings the phone to his ear. He doesn’t know who would be calling him, nor does he really care. It’s probably one of his few high school friends, making a token attempt to reconnect. He’s not expecting to hear Harper’s voice. 

      “Hey Ocre. How’s it feel to be home?” 

      Matt nearly drops the phone. He sits heavily on the edge of his bed. 

      “I- uh, good, sir. It’s good to be home.” Even to his own ears the words sound hollow. He sits up a little straighter, subconsciously falling back into the familiarity of addressing a senior officer. Over the line, Harper laughs softly. 

      “Yeah, it takes a little while to get used to the fact that nobody’s trying to kill you anymore.” He says. There’s a few moments of awkward silence, in which Matt can’t think of anything to say. Harper makes a sound like he’s clearing his throat. 

      “Are you still in the area?” He asks carefully. The question takes Matt by surprise. He fumbles his anwer, suddenly self-conscious about still living with his mom. 

      “Good. There’s some stuff we never got to talk about back there.” Harper continues steadily. Matt’s heart skips a beat and his blood runs inexplicably cold. No, no, no, no. What happened in Baqubah was going to stay in Baqubah, including their little ‘chat’. 

      “Ocre? You still there?” 

      “Uh…”

      “When are you free?”Harper prompts. Never, Matt wants to say. 

      “Whenever.” Is what he actually says. He cringes as soon as the word has left his mouth. God, he sounds like a teenager with a crush! He hopes Harper doesn’t notice. But of course, no such luck.

      “Damn, you’re that excited to see me again, huh?” Harper teases, laughing again. It sounds more genuine this time. Matt opens his mouth to snark back, but realises there’s nothing he can say that will let him win. They arrange a time and place to meet, and when they hang up he feels lighter than he has in weeks. He lies back on his bed, looking up at his stars again. 

      He isn’t sure whether to be relieved or agitated that he’s gonna see Harper again. He’d left Baqubah with the sense of absolute certainty that if he never saw or thought of the guys again he’d be able to forget what he’d seen and done. But on the other hand, Harper may well be the only other person in the world who knows exactly how he feels. It’s confusing, and Matt’s getting another headache. 

      He isn’t sure when he dozes off, but for the first time since he got home, he doesn’t have his regular nightmare. It’s not a peaceful sleep, but he doesn’t wake up with the shakes so he counts it as a success.

[treybriggsthewriter]

Mars and Wren: Mars Intro

This is a character builder for a story I’m working on called Mars and Wren. I don’t have any art planned for it at the moment. 

Ioh wasn't properly dressed, and it bothered Abernathy down to his core. 

There weren't many sunny days in Lincoln. He'd grown to the age of 16 with plenty of dark shadows cast on walls beside him, all of it sinking into snow that trumped his size. Abernathy considered many of these shadows, their placement, and the sun's purpose in leaving them everywhere. He considered scrubbing them clean from the wall, trying to erase them like he could erase everything else. Much of the consideration occurred while Ioh snuck into buildings, giggling women waiting for her, and took what she wanted. 

This time they were alone. Abernathy stood outside the gate, watching Ioh run her fingers along the metal callbox, waiting to see more of his teenage years slip away.

Sometimes he had a mother; most times, he had a problem.

"Can we just go to a movie instead, Ioh? Please?" It was something he asked her often. Can we go to the park? Can we go to the mall? Can we go anywhere but the bank? 

Can we take off the masks and go to the zoo?

Can we put down the guns and go to a fair? 

The answer was always an embarrassed smile, and a hand ran through her thick hair. "We'll go wherever you want when I'm done, Mars." 

They never did. 

"Open this for me?"

"No. Let's go home." Ioh gave him an annoyed eye roll and pulled her coat off. A small black bodysuit barely covered her, and she threw the heavy coat over the barbed wire. 

"Guess I'll do it the old fashioned way, then." 

Abernathy sucked in another breath, glancing at his watch. His own coat was heavy on his shoulders, weighed down with the jewels and trinkets from the last house. Someone's rainy day fund from the home before that sat in the pockets of his jeans, tight against his leg. He felt the weight of all of it and let it sit in his face like stone.

Ioh disappeared into the distance, the falling snow quietly filling her footsteps. It took a while, but Abernathy didn't mind the solitude. Even along the road, even with the snow piling up around him, he felt peaceful when his mother was away. 

Nearly twenty minutes had passed, but he stood so still that the snow piled up on his shoulders. It was a nightmare of his that Ioh would be killed, shot to death by a homeowner, and he would have to face life without her. There was nothing he wanted less than to admit she was essential to him. 

More time passed, and the stone in his face hardened. What's taking her so long?

Finally, Ioh stalked back to the gate bare legs sliding through the mounting snow. It was nearly up to her knees. She regarded him carefully, agitated.

"How'd it go?"

Ioh sucked her teeth, avoiding his worried expression. "Just a little trouble. Go home, Mars." 

"You'll freeze out here. I'll wait until you come back." He heard a siren in the distance and tried not to make eye contact. They'd be running again. He'd always been a slow runner. It didn't help that Ioh's power had the act covered, that she could vanish without a trace. Without him. 

Always without him.

"Ha! Freeze? What a downer. What a baby." Ioh climbed the fence, swinging a short leg over her coat. Her bodysuit was smokey gray now, blending perfectly with the sky, but her dark skin stood out. She swung down, pulling the coat with her, and laughed at her son's red cheeks. 

"You're gonna get eaten alive in college, kid." They considered each other for a moment, Ioh pulling the fur-lined coat closed. Abernathy helped her tie it in front, avoiding her attention as best as he could. 

"Maybe, Mom. Did you get anything you wanted?" She coughed a thick white cloud, smiling. 

"Alarm went off before I could get inside—complete waste of time. There didn't look like much, though, not from the window. Probably a bunch of wasps inside, they never buy shit." Her flats were completely soaked through, but Ioh was invincible as always. Abernathy blew a small breath behind her, aiming at the footsteps she'd left. The trail of disturbed snow slowly shifted back together and, as always, it was like she'd never been there. 

"Get my fingerprints, too, please." He blew another breath, and they waited, but it was done. He never missed.

As they casually walked back to the car, Abernathy wondered if maybe Ioh's power was more subtle than he thought. Perhaps it had nothing to do with staying warm in the freezing snow, or moving so silently and quickly that no one could ever detect her. 

Maybe it had more to do with making him stay around even when he hated her entire existence.

I guess let me know if you want to be added to a taglist for this one? 

[boogiewrites]

Reports & Repertoire 20: Death & Life

Characters: Eddie Brock x Venom x Candace Miller (OFC)

Summary:  The final chapter. Candy faces the consequences of her actions. Life and Death make things a lot clearer somehow... if you can come out on the other side.

Warnings/Tags: Violence. Death. (BUT FLUFF and a happy ending.) Hope you like it. <3 

Click on my icon then go to Mobile Masterlist in my bio for my other works and chapters.

Candy lives a half-life for a little while. Defeated fully and looking over her shoulder. A break comes when someone else manages to release an article on the spree of Roofies and disappearances in the city and all the possible connections. It wasn’t much, there were no names, no fingers pointed or anyone blamed. But it was something and she’d needed a win, no matter how small it may have been.

Eddie was relieved, and so was Venom to a degree. Although he was still steadfast on being able to protect everyone, he was glad Eddie felt better. It allowed for the extra energy he spent being anxious to no longer be used up and therefore not make Venom as ravenous all the time. Edgier meant more food and Eddie was never in the mood to let Venom take control and have his fun. But now everyone had settled back into a nice pattern. Something… normal. As far as normal for them went.

A week later with the air clear and Venom fed, they go out for the evening. Something fun and light and intimate. It was fall now, a comfort in the upcoming holidays and the jitters of her secretly asking him to meet her parents after telling him something she should have long ago. Venom knew it, but telling Eddie and his bumbling nature had been hard. So Candy planned on telling him exactly how she felt that night. To let it all out and tell him what he meant to her, as a friend, a partner, a lover. To let him know she saw him in her future, and to ask him if he saw her in his.

Any serious discussions no matter how welcome and joyous they might be were far from Eddie's mind. They walked through the carnival like children with sticky mouths and hands full of candy when they weren’t in each other’s grasp. A laugh-filled trip through a haunted house, a stuffed Alpaca Eddie got way too into winning her and spent entirely too much money on goes home with them too. 

They sit at the back patio, Candy's head on his shoulder, arms wrapped around one another and Venom quietly waiting in the wings. Fireworks from downtown we’re going off, a crispness to the air could be felt and in each other’s arms was the only place they wanted to be. 

A ring at the door separates them. “That’ll be dinner! Didn’t take them long. Thought with the traffic from the festival it’d take longer.” She says with a pleasantly surprised look on her face.

“These explosions are aesthetically pleasing. Like the ones in July to celebrate the birth of America.”

“I see you paid attention.” Eddie nods approvingly, kicked back with a beer in his hand.

“I always pay attention.” He retorts. “Eddie.” Venom's tone and sudden stiffness brings a cool rush down Eddie's spine.

“What’s wrong?” Eddie whispers, feeling the tension.

————

Candy trots towards the door in her pajamas, bare feet soaking up the cool wood in the house.

“Candy?” A man asks as she opens the door.

“Yeah, do I need to tip you here or on the app?” She asked, fumbling with her phone. 

“We tried to give you a tip but you didn’t listen.”

Her hair stands on end and her eyes shoot up wide and afraid. And they should’ve been. The man is holding a gun. “What do you want?” She whispers with a serious face and tone. Every muscle in her body was tense. She didn’t even breathe. 

“All you have to do is stop. Just shut the fuck up about it. Stop trying to save the day Nancy Drew, this shit doesn’t fly in the real world. You shut up and it goes away.” he waves the gun around as he speaks.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. What you’re doing is wrong.” There are tears in her eyes for too many reasons to name. She’d had self-defense classes. She could get the gun, yell for Eddie and this would be over. The seconds felt  like hours as they say in life or death moments. 

“I’ll say it again. You shut up. And it goes away. I have to give you your final warning.” He extends his arm, gun pointed down and Candy sees her moment. She tries to get in close and gain control, but the man had an itchy trigger finger. It slipped, him only being a messenger to scare her into silence. But it backfired. For everyone. 

————-

“The door.” Is all Venom says before he encases Eddie. He was faster than Eddie could be and took in the scene in front of him with quicker decision making.

Candy was on the floor and bleeding with multiple gunshots to her torso. A man staring in the doorway in horror at them with a gun in his hand. As Eddie screams inside the cage of goo, Venom eats the attacker without a second thought. Now there was no man.

Candy cries out, back against the wall as she reaches out for them. “Eddie…” She wheezes and holds her chest. 

“Shit. Shit. Shit.” He was never good at hiding his emotions when it came to worry for those he cared about. 

“I... they…”

“Shhh, don’t speak. I’m calling the ambulance.” He fumbles and drops his phone into the rapidly growing pool of blood from underneath her. 

“Eddie.” Venom says, tendrils moving down his hands as they touch Candy's pulse points.

“Eddie I-“  her eyes flutter as he cries and groans in fear, his phone continually slipping from his fingers as she sighs out his name, rapidly losing consciousness.

“Shhh shh we’ve got you baby. Don’t worry. I’ll call- SHIT!”

“Eddie she won’t make it.” Venom calmly states even though it helps nothing. 

“We have to DO something we just can’t. FUCK!” His voice breaks and he holds her face as he cries. 

Her head rests in his hand and she smiles for him, her vision tunneling. “Eddie I l-“ 

“Shhh save your energy Candy. Baby, I’ve got you.”

“Eddie I can help but… we have to separate.”

“What?”

“I can’t bond with her. I can try. To heal her, save her.”

He sees her go limp in his grasp and he sobs, hunched over and shaking. “Do it please just- FUCK!” He screeches and shakes her. “Save her, man!”

A warm embrace she finds herself in. Only the thought of “Eddie, I love you. I’m sorry.” In her mind. It’s all Venom hears as he takes her over, connecting to her every fiber and cell as he heals the wounds.

Eddie is left in his own personal hell as Venom works. He’s alone. Utterly for the first time in what felt like forever. There was no voice in his head but his own, and despite not holding the symbiote, his body had never felt heavier or harder to function. Candy lay lifeless, as  Eddie sobbed and held her, choking out please, feeling helpless in the puddle of blood on the floor. If Venom had brought him back, surely he could help her.

———-

“She’ll live.” Venom says, a sluggish head forming from her shoulder and plopping onto Eddie's head. 

Eddie can’t answer. He’s too busy sobbing into her hair to speak, he only nods and pulls Venom into his embrace.

 “The superficial wounds are closed. I’m working on her heart now. It’ll be slow. Very intricate, human organs. Lots of blood to make.” He says weakly. “Wash her, take her to bed. Get us chocolate. Something. Need. Energy.” He hisses as he sinks back into her. 

Eddie does as he’s told. Stripping them both and showering them off, leaving the bloody clothes on the shower floor. He puts her in bed, shorts and a hoodie of his she knows he likes. He touches her so gently, and she feels it, in a way. Venom tells her Eddie has her, and they’ll make sure everything’s okay. 

Eddie left to deal with keeping the blood hidden as the food arrived. He looked a mess, red-faced and puffy-eyed but luckily the young guy didn’t seem to care. He forgets the food and tosses it in the fridge. Locking everything and now to the task of cleaning up the blood. 

He’s never cleaned up a body’s worth of blood before. Towels were no help and paper was too weak. He gathers it all into a pile, slouching it into a garbage bag. He throws their now soaked and blood-stained clothes in as well and tries to make the place looked decent. He can’t do much for the blood spatter on the light-colored walls but, paint could fix that later right? 

He falls exhausted into the bed next to her. He watches her breathing, color back in her face now that had been a ghastly white. “Is she...in pain?” He asks, feeling the tiredness take over his muscles as he tries to push back her hair and hold her hand. 

“No.” Venom quietly answers. “Not physical.”

“Good.” He nods. “Wait, what does that mean?” He double-takes.

“She is distraught. Emotionally.”

“She DID almost die.”

“Yes. She understands. And wants me to tell you she knows who it was.” 

“WHAT?” His brow furrows and his eyes go wide, his weak and human body ready to defend her anyway. 

“It was a message. The men she was trying to expose. They found out it was her. A snitch she presumes from the tone, she says.”

“Can she hear me?” He asks. 

“No. But I can talk to her for you if you wish. She has many things to say.”

“Like what? About the guys who shot her?”

“No. About you.”

“Me? What about me? What’d I do? What does she need?”

“You. Just you.” Venom’s voice reflects the loving nature of her request. “What she wants to say is that she loves you. What she won’t admit is she wants to marry you. She doesn’t want to leave you as much as she doesn’t want you to leave her. She loves us Eddie. Us.” A weak sigh as he feels it all so intensely in the new body. 

“She… loves us?”

“Very much so. She was going to tell us tonight. Tell you tonight. Wants us in her future. To… meet her parents she says.”

“I’ll do anything she wants.” He laughs and kisses her forehead. “I’ll marry her as soon as she can stand if she would. I love her. Tell her I love her so much. I thought I’d lost her and I’ll never let her get hurt again. I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for. You warned her, she says. And you were right.” 

“Are you sure that’s her saying that?” Eddie laughs and kisses her cheek.

“She thought you’d say that.” Venom ripples happily at the love he was being sent. “You should ask her to marry you. After this has passed. I didn’t mention that part to her. She loves us. She will say yes.”

“I need a ring.” He says with rapidly moving eyes. “But we can do that right?”

“Yes we can.” Venom trills happily. 

———

Venom totally healed Candy. Not so much as a bit of bacteria out of place when he leaves her. She awakes in her bed with a gasp and Eddie sitting upright beside her.

“Hey baby, it’s okay. We’re here. You’re good. Take it easy.” He rushes out as he holds her head and chest steady. 

“Eddie I was… I thought I was dead there for a minute.” She speaks softly and takes his hand with wide eyes.

“You were. But Venom fixed you. Good as new. Not a stitch out of place now.” He tells her proudly. 

“Eddie.. I…” She feels exhausted but really good otherwise. Like she’s been hit with a truck but then injected with adrenaline.  She lunges forward and wraps her arms around his neck. “I almost didn’t get to tell you I loved you. And I do. So much.” She whines into his neck and he holds her back just as tightly with a soft smile as he kisses her head. 

“I love you too. The most. So much. You’re not going anywhere Candy. I’ve got you.”

“I don’t think he meant to kill me.” She says with a stark change in tone. “I think it was a warning. He would’ve shot me in the head otherwise.”

“Shhh. We don’t have to talk about it yet.”

“That was…” She lets out a sigh and slumps, letting him direct her against his chest as he leaned back in the bed. 

“You’re okay now. Just rest for a minute.” He shushes her and she accepts it. 

“She is right. Her logic is on point. The angle, the weapon and words… all point to a warning and not a hit.”

“Venom we don’t have to-“

“See?” She mutters into his chest.

“Perhaps if we… lay low. Stop prying…” Venom reluctantly suggests.

“He’s right. I’m so sorry for risking it. For putting us all in danger.”

“S’alright Candy.” Eddie insists with a kiss to her head once again. Her hair soft and fluffy from the bath he’d given her. “If that’s true then… we can rest now, right? Take it easy. Just… us. Not take this for granted?”

“You’re right. We work too hard. I miss you too much. I need you Eddie. All the time.” She says weakly and squeezes his torso as he pouts and returns the affection. “Move in with me. Stay here. I’ll take time off work, so can you. We can hideaway. We can catch up for lost time and just… exist.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I love you and I want you around. I want you to meet my parents. I want you involved in my life, Eddie. I want you here. With me.”

“Then I will. Don’t have to convince me. I’m already sold.” He gives her a soft smile and she kisses him unexpectedly in response. 

“I love you.” She whispers and holds him tight. 

“I love you too. We’ll figure it all out. I’ll move in. We’ll take some time off.”

“I feel like I’ve been away for a year. I feel like I miss you so much and you’re right here.”

“I was here the whole time. Never leaving your side  Candy, don’t ever question it.”

————-

With every bit of confidence they could muster, Candy and Eddie walked into their boss ' offices and said they were taking some time

off. Whenever someone asked, personal reasons was the answer given and due to their contracts, they weren’t left with too much of a choice in the matter.  

A month. An entire month of just them. They huddled up in their little home. Like bunnies, they snuggled, fucked, ate, napped and played. With sight of what was important, everything was lighter, clearer and nothing had ever felt so right. She felt like she'd gotten a second chance, and it was all Venom's doing. She was eternally in debt to him and Eddie. Their long nights and days spent together let her think about what was most important outside of a career. What did she want to leave behind and still do that she had been pushing back in the name of work? It was time to prioritize. 

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

They didn’t leave the house for four whole weeks. They did nothing but enjoy each other in every way they knew how. And with a few nights left of their getaway, Eddie knew exactly how to finalize the best few weeks of his life.

“Keep your eyes closed alright? Just trust me.”

“I do.” She replies happily as she covers them with her hands. He’s taken her downtown and showed her off, fed her the best food money could buy and they got to remember what being around civilized people was like. They much preferred the sanctuary of their home. They laughed a little too loud, kissed a little long for everyone else’s taste. But no one else mattered anymore. 

So as the night moved into early morning, a walk through the architecture of downtown skyscrapers, hand in hand, he stops her at the foot of one. This one being the tallest of them all. And thus having the best view. If you knew how to get there.

She feels an odd whoosh, a rush of air that goes on for a minute but she keeps still, keeps her eyes shut as she feels Venom's embrace. She feels her feet on solid ground again, and she's thankful for it. 

“Okay. Open your eyes but STAY CALM okay? You’re fine. I promise. Venoms wrapped around you, we’re both fine.”

“Are you convincing me or yourself?” She asks with a nervous laugh as she uncovers her eyes but keeps them shut. 

“Uh… a little of both?” His voice breaks and she finds his hand and takes it.

She opens her eyes and her arm reaches for Venom's tight grip around her waist. They were at the base of the needle at the top of the building. Only enough room to stand, she’s left to gawk as she realizes she’s safe. 

“Oh my god.” She whispers, taking in the breathtaking view. Everything seemed so far away, the lights and sounds so concentrated at ground level seemed like faint melodies and twinkling stars up so high. “It’s… this is beautiful.” Her eyes can’t leave the sight as her hand stays firm in his and wrapped in Venom's body. 

“This view was the beginning of me learning to love earth.” Venom adds.

“I can see why.” She shares the sentiment.

“I now know it’s the humans. Like Eddie. Like you. That make it worth staying.”

“You’re very sweet Venom, thank you.” She strokes his happily rippling mass.

“I wanted to give you something no one else could.” Eddie takes her full attention. “I know there’s only so much I can do, and I’m not… we’re not what you planned to be with but, we’re thankful every day that you are.”

She smiles and pouts slightly before Venom brings them chest to chest. “Eddie, baby, you’re more than I could’ve ever hoped for.” She insists with a kiss to his cheek.

“And so are you. You’re, everything to me. Everything I wanna be, everything I’m not. You.. you complete me Candy and I don’t wanna go back to being alone. Not without Venom, not without you. I want you to stay. I wanna make sure you stay.” He insists with hands to her cheeks that surprise her, intensity and fear she wasn’t used to seeing in Eddie. 

Venom swirls up her arm, tiny tendrils taking her hand and holding a ring that shone as bright as the city lights below.

“I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, Candy Miller. Would you do that for me? Would you marry me?” He asks with hopeful eyes that make her chest ache at the thought he might believe even for a second she’d say no.

“I’ll stay with you beyond that.” She promised and kisses him softly. “Of course I’ll marry you.” She laughs against his lips. A warm embrace against the cold winds up so high. A kiss that faded and turned into happy sighs as they caressed each other’s faces in excitement. “You’ve made my life absolutely insane.” She laughs, “But I couldn’t stand it without you now. Without you both.”

“We love you Candy.” Venom almost sings and wraps himself around her head to nuzzle her in the form of a slug-like round head. 

“I love you boys.” She lets out a huge sigh and Eddie beams at her. It went perfectly. She was perfect. It was all so… perfect.

“It will be perfect.” Venom whispers into his head. 

Eddie questions him wordlessly. 

“You’ll see. One more present.” He insists inwardly. “Ready to go home?” He asks Candy. 

“I believe so. I want to cuddle up with my babies.” She teases and kisses Eddie again. 

“And you will. Keep tight. Eyes shut.” He says as they’re sucked together into his darkness and taken in leaps and bounds back to the safety of their bedroom.

“That feels sooo weird.” She laughs stumbling back and sitting on the bed as she’s released.

“You get used to it.” Eddie grins, he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be able to stop for awhile.

“I have one more present.” Venom announces, a more fully formed head to speak to them both. “It is something you both wanted.” 

They both wait with a shared glance as Venom vibrates with excitement. He moves Eddie closer to the bed and stands up Candy as they look at each other with laughter in their eyes he ripples again. 

“Ready?” He asks with a wide smile.

“Yeah, I wanna know why you’re acting so weird.” Eddie playfully jabs him.

“Eddie…” He takes one of his hands. “Candy…” He takes hers and takes a deep breath that was only for show as he didn’t need to physically breathe. He places Eddie's hand to her stomach and places hers on top. “You’re going to have a baby.” He says with tiny tendrils flicking about in celebration. 

“A- What? I’m afraid I can’t be, hun, I’ve got an IUD remember?” She looks at him confused along with Eddie.

“It was destroyed along with your uterus in the shots. I removed it and healed you. I can taste the difference in your sweat. The hormones. They’ve changed.”

She gulps and her hand clenched around Eddies. “Are you… serious?”

“Yes. I repaired you beyond what you were before, you’re a perfectly balanced machine now.”

“We’ve been having sex this whole month and... I…” She feels a little woozy and Eddie braces her back. Careful to read her reactions. 

“Are you serious?” He asks him again. 

“Yes! Why do you keep asking? I wouldn’t have waited to tell you if I hadn’t thought it would make a good present.”

“It… is a good present?” She can hear the break in Eddie's voice. His eyes moving to hers that were still wide in shock.

“I’m… I’m gonna… WE are gonna… OH GOD WILL IT BE AN ALIEN?!” She shouts and Venom rumbles out a laugh.

“No. Sadly not. This is all Eddies work.”

“Eddie.” She squeaks out, His high brows move closer to her own. “I’m pregnant.” She states with disbelief. A pause that makes him nervous then an almost maniacal laugh escapes her. “I’m pregnant.” She speaks again and laughs. “Oh my God Eddie. We’re gonna have a baby. A baby.” She laughs and throws her head into his chest.

“Please tell me these are happy crazy laughs.” He inquires hesitantly and she squeezes him tight.

“After I was shot. I thought about a lot of things. How I spent my time. What I wanted out of life.” She begins without looking at him yet.

“She’s always wanted to be a mother. But never knew when the right time would be.” Venom makes it easier for her, a loving stroke of her hair and pat to her back.

“Exactly. I forget you we’re in my head.” She lets out a sniffle. “My mom's gonna be so happy.” She laughs and it turns to tears. “Eddie we're gonna have a baby.” She starts to sob as he laughs at first at the absurdity of it all. But with the life he’d led, honestly, a baby was about the least crazy thing. A baby was entirely normal in comparison.

“We’re gonna have a baby.” He chokes out before the contagious laughing tears get their hooks into him as well. “We’re getting married and we're having a baby.” He lets out a loud sigh of relief.

“This is crazy.” She laughs as they rest forehead to forehead and wipe away the other’s tears. 

“Is it? Compared to…” He motions to Venom whose big opal eyes were brimming with his version of tears. A sympathetic reaction to his host's emotions. 

They burst out laughing at it all. Because what else could happen that would be more surprising than what they’d already been through? This mantra gave them the outlook they had needed. They would take it all in stride now from experience, they would work through the bad and cherish the good. They kept in mind how absurd it all was, and laughter followed them through it all. Because what could be crazier than what life had already thrown at them?

@hardygal69 @marvelgirl7 @emerald-bijou @brianaisasongbird @vale0413 @izzy-the-ginger​ @chortletortoise @onomatopoetic-aesthetic​ @anrm1 @jademox @nightcraver @venomous-possibiities @tinastarkandco @chipster-21 @ugly-crying-over-bucky-barnes @queenof-wakanda @s-h-e-w-r-i-t-e-s @peakys-mystic @jaegeeeeer

[justjessame]

The Deal Chapter 7

GREENE FARM~DAY AFTER DARYL’S NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY

I woke up next to Daryl in an actual bed! Feeling amazed at the luxury, after all the nap I’d taken during Carl’s trauma was more of the pass-out not aware type of sleep, I cuddled into Daryl’s side. The side he hadn’t pierced with one of his own arrows. I felt him shift under me and chuckled.

“You are the world’s worst patient, Daryl Dixon.” I whispered, glancing up at him. I’d managed, through sheer force of will, to get him to agree to a sponge bath after dinner. And I even convinced him to let me run back to our tent for a change of clothes for him. Now all the gunk and blood was clear from him, and I had a promise that he’d take advantage of Hershel’s offer of a shower, as soon as he was given the ok.

He groaned after my statement, looking down at me with his version of a pout. Which meant he was glaring at me. “And ya can be a naggin’ nurse, Jessica Grimes.” He grunted, softening his irritation by kissing my forehead. “Don’t know why I had to let ya clean me up last night.” He muttered.

I gave him a look. “As I recall, you didn’t seem to mind during that washing.” I raised an eyebrow as I remembered locking the door and taking my time to be very thorough.

Daryl shrugged, but I could see him fighting a smile. “It wasn’t completely horrible.” He answered, looking at the lace curtains covering the windows. “Might even let ya help me in the shower, since I’m injured and all.”

I laughed and crawled from the bed to find Hershel. I wanted to make sure that Daryl was ok to come back to our tent. He wasn’t going to rush, whether he liked it or not. I found the farmer on the porch, enjoying the morning. He assured me that Daryl would be fine to return to his daily routine, barring stealing another horse. I chuckled and thanked him after he told me Daryl could shower the next day.

Returning to the invalid’s room, I found Andrea offering him a novel and Daryl warning her that if she ever shot at him again, he “best be dead.” I nodded, and then looked up at her. “If you don’t know how to properly handle a weapon, perhaps Dale was right, and you shouldn’t have one.” I glared at her before she could open her mouth for one of her glorious retorts. “Leave.”

Daryl was watching me closely as I sat down on the bed. “She fucked up, Jessi, but we’ve all fucked up one time or another.” He said, taking my hand in his. “Let it go, I have.”

I shot him a look and he smiled. “Ever fuck up and nearly kill someone?” He just stared at me. “Because that’s what Andrea did. She couldn’t see through the glare of the sun, and she shot at you. She was aiming for that thick head of yours, Dixon. If she was better with weapons, you’d be dead. And so would she.” It was a statement and I meant every single word of it. “Jessi,” he whispered, clearly not expecting the force of my reaction to the situation. “Baby, I’m OK. She didn’t kill me, hell, I did worse to myself yesterday.” He was trying to calm me, but this was one topic that it wouldn’t work.

I pulled my hand free from his and leaned closer to his face. Cupping it between my hands, I stared into his eyes. “You’re not dead because of her lack of skill, Daryl. That’s not a win, not when I know Dad will insist everyone learn their weapons better. You’re not dead because Dad hasn’t had a chance to teach her up.” I sighed and ran my thumbs along his cheeks. “She isn’t right for this world, I know it, and it’s going to get someone killed.”

His hand slid to cover mine, holding me to his face. “Then we watch her.” He agreed. “We make sure that she doesn’t screw up. Jessi, you can’t just get rid of people because they’re-”

“Dangerous?” I scoffed. “That’s what Andrea is, it’s what Shane is. They’re both ticking time bombs, the only question in my mind? Which one blows first?”

 HOURS LATER~OUTSIDE OUR TENT

Daryl and I had agreed to disagree on the Andrea situation. His let bygones be bygones made me want to scream, but I understood it too. This new life, with walkers trying to kill us, and people not much better, made some strong. Unfortunately, Daryl felt that we just had to train up the weakest to make them better suited.

I did agree with the sentiment. For instance, Carol would probably learn to survive. Dale? Well, Dale was pretty much a hippy type, but if it came to killing walkers, he was game. That was a mark in his favor. His fear of ending a human’s life, however, was going to end up problematic. People, I could tell, were going to be just as dangerous to us as walkers. I mean, Dad told us what happened in Atlanta with the “gang” he’d halved the gun supply with, and let’s not forget Dr. Jenner.

Here’s my list for people in our group who would probably learn to survive better: Daryl Dad Shane (that kills me to admit) Me Carl Glenn (he’d be higher on the list, but he wasn’t raised by my dad) Lori (iffy, she’s still a little timid) T-Dog Carol (once we find Sofia, or we put the poor child to rest, whichever) Dale (once his bleeding heart savior shit is put in its place) Andrea

That’s how it would work, in order of best chances to least. See who’s last? Yeah, because she’s not going to make it. Even if she learns, she’s going to still make the stupidest decisions and then we’ll be the ones to clean it up or take the hit. I didn’t share the list with Daryl. Because honestly, I think he might have taken it as a personal challenge to prove me wrong. That and his head would grow three sizes too big to fit through the door of the tent, since he outranked my dad in the pecking order.

He was happy to hear about the shower. Whether it was the actual bathing, or the fact that he was going to do his damndest to get me in that hot water with him, I’m not sure.

We spent the day listening as Dad planned to take the group shooting (told you so), and then work on the areas surrounding where Daryl found Sofia’s doll. Daryl, I was happy to notice, would be staying back with me. I begged off the shooting practice by holding up my bow to my dad. He laughed and rolled his eyes, but walked away without a fight. Daryl was watching me and I saw his interest in my response and I knew he was wondering if I could use a gun.

“I can shoot guns, Daryl.” I answered him before he could form the question. “My dad was a sheriff’s deputy in the south. Of course, I’m proficient in gun use.” I rolled my eyes.

He gave one of those gruff chuckles I loved. “Didn’t want to give yourself a little practice? Practice makes-”

“Perfect, yeah, I might have heard that before.” I watched his eyes grow darker at the memory of the last time I was told about it.

I ran over to the RV to see if Dale needed help with watching over us all on the roof. I’d rather be with Daryl, but I also knew that every little bit helps. It’s how I caught Glenn acting twitchier than usual and asking Dale if Andrea might be on her period because she was acting crazy.

He actually thought, and I quote, “I’m only asking ’cause it’s like all the women are acting really weird. And…and I read somewhere that when women spend a lot of time together, their cycles line up and they all get super crazy hormonal at the same time.”

I coughed and he realized that I was standing nearby. “I can attest that I am NOT currently having my period, but thanks for asking, Glenn.” I grinned at his blush. “Andrea’s off her rocker most days, as for the OTHER ladies,” I raised an eyebrow to remind him that I knew who he was thinking of, “I’m sure that’s not the issue either. We’re dealing with the apocalypse, dude, what did you expect?”

Dale grinned at me and agreed. “I’m gonna advise you to keep your theory to yourself.”

I nodded, “Telling a woman she’s PMS crazy brings out a whole new round of nuts.”

Glenn, far from looking reassured, looked more twitchy. What the hell?

“Want to tell me what’s going on?” Dale asked, and I nearly walked away, but thought I might want to hear the answer.

“You’re old.” Glenn started, and I closed my eyes at the poor boy’s tact. “You’re… you know things. So what if someone told you something that someone else should know…”

I rolled my eyes as Dale told him to stop being dramatic and spit it out.

“There’s...there’s walkers in the barn and Lori’s pregnant.” He spit it out alright, and I nearly did too. Fuck, WHAT?

“WHAT?!” I had to keep myself from screaming. They both remembered I was standing near them and who I was. “I’m guessing Dad doesn’t know?”

Glenn shook his head. I ran my hands over my face. Fuck, this was bad. Bad, bad, bad. Dale asked if he should speak to Hershel, and I considered it. Having Hershel explain himself to Dad would be MUCH better than one of us. I nodded. As for Lori? There’s no chance that baby is my dad’s. NONE. Great, a baby Shane. Unless Dad raised it. Wasn’t there proof that nurture was JUST as important as nature?

“About Lori,” Glenn started and I held up a hand.

“She can figure it out,” I said, trying to school my features from shock to whatever I could manage. I shook my head. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear this entire mess of a conversation. Dale? Do you need me to stand watch?” He shook his head and I walked away.

Finding Daryl sitting by our tent, I knew he’d be able to tell something was wrong, but I hoped I could distract us both. His smile made those damn butterflies in my stomach start up again. It was better than the nausea Glenn’s news made me feel.

“Wondered where ya got off to.” He said, patting the ground beside him, but I shook my head.

“Had to make sure Dale didn’t need help with watch.” I offered and he nodded. Standing he loomed by the tree he had been sitting against.

“Does he?” He asked, and I shook my head again. “So what’re we gonna get into all alone while they’re gone?”

I raised an eyebrow and was gratified when he rushed to me and smothered any further conversation with a burning kiss. I sighed into him, trying desperately to be careful of his wounded side.

“I’d really like to carry ya inside the tent,” he whispered against my lips.

I smiled at the thought of it. “If you screw up those stitches, I’ll catch hell from Hershel.” I giggled and took his hand. “Besides, I’m perfectly capable of walking with you inside the tent, Daryl.”

The others were gone, except Dale, Carol, Glenn, and the Greene family. And entering our tent, I watched as Daryl groaned and lay back on our sleeping bags. I knew this killed him, being at anyone’s mercy, even mine. Yet, I loved that he trusted me enough to allow it. I bit my lip and looked down at him, fully clothed and clean, thank God. I could still see the ear necklace and all the blood and gore from the day before.

“What’re ya lookin’ at?” He asked, his gruff voice husky and his eyes barely squinting to take me in.

I smiled and laid down beside him. “You, Daryl Dixon, I was looking at you.” I ran my hand up his chest, careful of the bandaged side. “And I was wondering something.”

I knew his eyes were closed without looking, because I felt him sigh into my soft touch. “What’s that?”

“Why was your mouth coated in blood yesterday?” I asked, sitting up on my elbow to look down at him. I saw him grimace slightly, ut-oh.

“I might of eaten a squirrel,” he stopped and wouldn’t look at me, “raw.”

Ugh, I thought, I’d kissed you yesterday and hadn’t even noticed. “Ah.” Was all I said, and I felt him twitch. “Remind me to never ask that question again.”

He chuckled at that. “So tough, but won’t even eat meat straight from the source. It was still warm-like.” He shook his head and met my eyes as I grimaced. “Should have warned ya, but your kiss was all I could think about on the way back.”

“I can’t fault that logic.” I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again. When I pulled back, his eyes were more black than blue. “Since you’re injured, I should probably take care of you, right?” I asked, we had been so focused on our first night together that we’d never gotten to much more than the full act, so I wanted to be sure.

I watched his Adam’s apple bob with a swallow. He nodded and that was all I needed to get into caretaker mode. I gave him a smile and began kissing down his neck, flicking against his pulsepoint and feeling his hand run down my back and then back to my head. I kept going, unbuttoning his shirt and kissing each inch of skin that was exposed as the buttons fell open. His nipples were taunt, and I spent a moment enjoying each one before returning to my route. Down his stomach, nuzzling his bellybutton, and then my fingers found the button on his jeans.

“I probably shouldn’t completely undress you,” I whispered against his skin as I flicked the button open. “Just when I do, we’ll be called to defend the damn world.” I felt him chuckle as my fingers opened the zipper. “But I’ll make sure everything necessary to your recovery is bared to my attention.” His fingers slid under the tightness of my braid and I smiled against his pelvic bone. He lifted his ass long enough to free that part of him I was most concerned with, and then he was free. I hummed in approval. “Oh, I’m more than certain I can make you feel all better, Mr. Dixon.” I looked up to see he’d put his other arm under his head to get a better angle to watch me. I smirked at him as my tongue flicked against the head that had given me such pleasure in the bright light of the moon. “Just let me know if there’s anything that you need to make a full recovery.” And with that I engulfed him with my mouth, my hand moved to the base and together with my mouth and tongue, I worked him.

“Shit, Jessi,” he hissed, his fingers tangled in the depths of my hair. “Yeah, fuck, just like that.”

I moved slowly, then faster, then slower, making him moan and gasp. His hand in my hair tightened and I knew he was ready, but he did the unexpected, he yanked me from him. “Get up here, Jess.” He growled and my mouth met his with a hunger that was even more than the night before. “I need ya. All of ya.” He moaned against my mouth, and I felt his hands sliding down to my own jeans, undoing them and tugging. “Pull em off.” He ordered and I pulled back, kicking off my boots and ridding myself of my pants. “Now climb on top.” Demanding, I thought, but I was powerless to deny him.

I straddled him and then he snapped up into me. We both moaned at the feeling. We hadn’t thought it was right to try in Hershel’s house, in a stranger’s bed, but this, I rocked my hips and felt sparks between us, this was US. He pulled me back to him, so most of my weight was on him. I was trying to be so careful of his wound, but he wouldn’t allow it. Not now, not here, here we had to connect. And so, my covered chest was tight against his, even as he quickened his pace of thrusting. He swallowed my screams of pleasure as I was fed his own. And for the first time, but not the last, when we came, we didn’t part.

And for a brief moment, I forgot about the walkers in the barn and my newest sibling on the way.

[thethoughtsfromthreeam]

California

Pairing: Agent Whiskey/Jack Daniels x OC

Warnings: Mentions of bodily harm, implied sexy times

A/N:  A reminder that Parts 11 and 12 run concurrently from different view points.  I love this chapter and it was almost cathartic to write it.  While obviously this is all fiction, I think we can all follow Shirley’s lead in this chapter and show ourselves a little love.

Reminder: I haven’t seen Kingsman: The Golden Circle, so I’m just using the Wikia, IMDB.com, some gifs, and my own weird ass brain to make up this whole ass story.

Tag List:  @zeldasayer , @romanticgumchewer, @tarrevizslas , @coolmaybelateruniverse , @the-feckless-wonder, @lavenderl3mons , @pascalisthepunkest , @mandoandyodito​ , @randomness501 [please message me to be added or subtracted]

[PART 1]  [PART 2]  [PART 3]  [PART 4]  [PART 5] [PART 6]  [PART 7]  [PART 8]  [PART 9]  [PART 10]  [PART 11]

Part 12 

Forgiveness

Several hours after she killed Agent Port, now known as Kirsch, Shirley spent time with Dr. Orange talking about the ordeal.  She found herself worried that she felt no remorse over killing someone.  If anything, she felt like she could kick up her heels and dance a jig with Merlin. Was she an unfeeling monster like him at heart?

“No.”  Said Dr. Orange.  “Five years ago, you experienced a severe trauma and while you may have gotten your life back, a little part of it was still held captive by the experience. Knowing he was still out there has been dogging you this entire time.  He’s gone and now you’re free.”

“Free.”

“Yes, free.  As a therapist I should tell you differently, but I think I can bend the rules just this once.  Shirley, you did the right thing by killing him.  You saved more lives, your actions will give comfort to the families and co-workers of the agents missing or dead, and for the love of god, you’re free to live your life without fear.”

Shirley’s eyes teared up because she knew what Dr. Orange was saying was right.  She had been living, but not really.  She never left HQ alone on the rare moments she did leave, she was granted permission not to be sent to another office, and she turned the library into her life. Even her interactions with her friends and Jack were stunted, limited by the weight of her scars and the man on the run who caused them.  Now, she could be herself again.  A fully bloomed flower.  A sunshiny Marigold.

They talked at little longer and after a long hug, Shirley left the office feeling pounds lighter.  Free.

---***---

Several Days Later

 The sun pouring into the bedroom nudged Shirley awake and she slowly opened her eyes.  For the first time in years, waking up felt truly pleasurable and she remembered what it meant to feel rested.  She shifted a bit before stretching like a cat.  Jack’s arm tightened around her waist, but he never woke up and she could feel his even breaths against her neck.  She laid in bed a little longer before she got up.  Jack mumbled in his sleep but rolled over to his back and quieted down again.

She padded across the room to begin her morning routine, the same one she had since she moved into their apartment.  Gathering her clothes to dress elsewhere so Jack wouldn’t see her scarred body, she went into the bathroom to clean up.  After washing her face and brushing her teeth and hair, she began to strip out of the long pajamas that she slept in.  

As she bent over to take off her pants, her eye caught her reflection in the mirror.  She noticed the scars along her chest were faded to almost nothing, small specks of silver as if a fairy kissed her and left marks.  She surprised herself at the thought – so opposite of how she saw those scars all these years.  Kiss marks on her chest made her think of something completely different.

“Moonshine, you are killing me in that dress.”  Jack groaned.  The wrap dress she wore was simple enough, almost knee length with three quarter sleeves. A modest number in purple with white flowers dotted all over it.

“This dress?  You’ve seen more skin than this before.” She laughed even as he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her flush against him.  He bent down and kissed the laughter from her mouth and she gently placed her hands on his forearms.  When he lifted his head, they were both panting, with want pooling heavy in both their stomachs.

“I could fuck you in this dress right here.”  She sighed as his lips made their way down her neck and to her cleavage.  She rested her cheek against the top of his head and moaned a little.  They had to leave soon, but she didn’t want to move. She loved it when Jack kissed her, touched her.  It made her feel alive.

“Jack, baby.  I’ll let you fuck me every day in this dress when I get home from California.  But we got to go, we don’t want to be late for lunch. Champ wants the meeting to start on time and I need to prep before I leave tonight.  The case can’t wait.”  He groaned slightly before kissing back up the path he forged and for good measure, kissed her again on the lips.

“You’re free.”  She whispered to herself.  She stripped off the rest of her clothing and as she stood there in just her underwear, she forced her eyes to really look at her body.  The one she had hidden away from everyone, even Jack.  It took many long months before she let him touch her intimately again, but rarely fully naked or in the light.  And even then, she still flinched at his touch and sometimes found herself fretting over Jack’s opinion of her body despite never been given a reason to do so.  The brain convinces us of the strangest things.

She turned her body this way and that, looking at healed scars.  Most of the back of her was covered in a network of scarred skin that had been burned in the explosion.  But after so many years, the skin had softened and didn’t look nearly as horrible as she remembered.  God, how long had it been since she really looked at herself?  The long scar along her hip was barely visible and she really couldn’t be certain where they had cut her open to insert the stabilizing rods in her ribs.

Had she really spent so much time fearing her own body that she completely ignored the healing of it?  The thought sobered her greatly.  All these years and she never once forgave herself for surviving.  She never once celebrated her body as it healed from devastating trauma.

Today would end that.  

---***---

She stood in front of the floor length mirror and started with her toes, wiggling them.  She smiled, she always thought she had cute toes and looking at them, they still were. Her eyes dragged up to her ankles and then her calves.  She smiled wider when she saw a small round scar on the side of her left calf.  It was her first one after her cousin accidentally shot her in the leg with a BB gun when she was four.

“Boone, I told you not to point that damn thing in the house!” Aunt Lisa hollered through the kitchen.  “If you don’t take that back to the damn shed, I’m gonna toss it into the damn landfill.”

“Okay, momma, no need to get huffy!”  Boone rolled his eyes and started to turn when he tripped, fell, and dropped the gun.  It went off, pinging against the stove and hitting Marigold, who was sitting on the table, in the leg.  She started to wail at the pain and began screaming when she saw the blood.

Aunt Lisa turned around in horror as Marigold’s mother soothed her child. Lisa’s eyes narrowed and she whipped her head around to look at her idiot son.  Boone took one look at his mother and ran out of the house screaming.

Shirley quietly giggled at the memory.  Her cousin was such a ridiculous creature and when she wanted to be silly, she’d recreate the scene for her friends. She turned the memory over in her mind before moving on.

There were her knees and her thighs.  They were softer these days, like everything else about her.  She wasn’t young anymore and stationary work was more her speed.  But they were strong and for a moment she had a memory of Jack’s head being cradled between them.  Her breath caught in her throat.

She kept going, looking at her hips and the swell of her mound under her panties.  She lightly touched herself and thought of all the times she woke up with Jack’s head laying on this very spot, snoring softly while his hands curled lightly around her hips.  He would claim he never slept better than on those nights.

Higher her eyes went to her soften belly, rounded and almost cute. Her waist was as straight as a board as it always had been, but Jack didn’t care.  He loved wrapping his arms around it when they hugged or slept side by side in bed.  She could almost feel his touch and her breath hitched again.

Her eyes dragged upwards to her breasts, where more of those little silver scars dotted her skin.  Like her stomach and thighs, there was a new softness that had settle there.  She decided the softness more was suited to her than it had ever been.  She thought of the time Jack ghosted his fingertips along her skin, tracing circles until her nipples peaked and she was breathless with want.  When he stopped touching her, she nearly cried, but gasped when he replaced his hands with his mouth.  She remembered her eyes opening wide with shock and pleasure, taking in the deep blue Wyoming sky above her.  She felt as if heaven settled all around her that day.

Grinning now, she scraped her eyes to her neck, where the scars wrapped around from the back.  She touched the skin and felt saddened at the loss of surface feeling.  She had loved it when Jack lightly placed his lips against the side of her neck and around to the back.  But the scaring was lighter and if there had been no wrinkling of the skin, one would never know she had been burned there.

Shirley held out her arms and looked at the three treated cuts on her left arm. Cuts that would also heal quietly back into nothing.  The slightly scarred skin of her upper arms smoothed out into her delicate hands.  She always had small hands, but they were capable. Capable enough to kill a man.  Her eyes flew back to her face a moment, but she felt nothing.  It was a moment in time and now it was gone.  She reminded herself that these same hands built her beloved library and were cradled by her friends in dark hours.  These hands were full of tenderness when they’d lightly skim across Jack’s face and down his neck and even lower.  He loved her hands, they brought him to ecstasy many times over.

She looked back at her face.  She had the comfortable softness of a woman in her thirties, where time reminded her of a life lived and yet of all the time left to live.  That she will live because she is here, breathing and alive. She was convinced her face even looked more radiant than it ever had, realizing that she carried the weight of worry on it for so long.  Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle at the thought.  They looked upwards after a moment.

Her hair was always a mousy brown, but this morning the sun highlighted the many silver strands that wove through it.  Most women avoided grays like the plague, but she ran her hands through her hair and smiled.  She loved them because she couldn’t wait to go grey – a salt and pepper look would better fit her than the current brown every could.  But she loved all of it, it was long and soft to the touch.  Jack could run his fingers through it for hours and she’d never tell him to stop.

She stepped back and looked at herself in the mirror again.  Wrapping her arms around her waist and dropping her chin to her chest, Shirley closed her eyes, giving herself the hug she deserved so much.  Digging deep into herself, she banished negative thoughts about her body.

“I love you.”

[kusunogatari]

[ ObiRyū October | Day Twenty-Eight | On Your Own ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ Vulgarity, blood, death, gun ]

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It’s two am.

And Obito is awake.

And not by choice.

Sitting at his desk with a cheek in a hand, he glowers at the wall in front of him. Not because it’s done him any offence, but because of what lies on the other side.

His neighboring apartment, for about two weeks now, has been playing host to a very fussy, very loud baby. Which has been keeping him up at all hours of the night, depending on when it feels like crying.

Needless to say, it’s been leaving him a little on edge.

Groaning, he drags his hand down his face. He has a very important appointment tomorrow, and he really doesn’t want to be losing any sleep right now. He was just finalizing his plans when the crying started, and now he feels his temper about to snap.

Can’t they shut that thing up?!

Growling as the decibels go up a notch, the pencil in his hand cracks and he stands with such abruptness that his chair nearly clatters over. Enough. He can’t take it anymore. He’s going to go over there and tell these people that they either shut that baby up, or he’ll do it himself.

Permanently.

Obito is, after all, no stranger to death. Having given up on schooling when a life-shattering accident left him too far behind to catch up, he turned to what began as petty crime to get by. And now? He’s barely into his twenties and already an infamous name in the city’s underground as a talented (and therefore expensive) hitman.

...in all reality, of course, he’s not going to hurt a baby. But by God he’s going to make them think he would if it will get him some Goddamn peace and quiet.

Wrenching open his door, he turns to face the proper direction, strutting up and pounding on the next door down. At least he always looks plenty intimidating. Hopefully it won’t take long to scare these idiots into -

He can hear the scrapes of the locks, and he puffs up as the knob turns, the door swinging open to reveal...a girl?

Good grief, is she even an adult?

Her face is pinched with exhaustion and worry, dark shadows under her pale eyes, and...wow, pale everything else. For a moment Obito’s almost convinced she’s a ghost haunting this apartment rather than living in it. But in her arms, still wailing like a banshee, is the baby.

“...uh…”

Suddenly he doesn’t know what to say. He wasn’t expecting...well, any of this.

But she clearly knows why he’s here.

“I...I’m so sorry,” she offers, voice a bit emphasized to be heard over the babe’s cries. “I’m trying to get her to calm down, I just...I think she’s colicky and she won’t settle. I’m so, so sorry…”

Obito just...blinks. Wait, is…? “...are you here alone?”

Immediately, the question - out of context - makes her stiffen.

He backpedals, hands lifting in defense. “I...I don’t mean like -? I mean...do you not have, uh...anyone else to...to help you?”

Oh no. He’s flipped a switch. As soon as he finishes his inquiry, her lip starts trembling, eyes brimming with tears.

He hates when girls cry…!

Lifting her spare arm, she tries to wipe them away, clinging to her composure by a thread. “N...no...I-I don’t.”

“Where’s the, uh...dad?”

She glances aside, looking ashamed. “...off to college. He didn’t….h-he didn’t want anything getting in the way of his...e-education. So he had his parents give me some money, and...here I am. But it’s already going so fast, and I...I don’t have anywhere else to go. This was the c-cheapest apartment I could find, but...I can’t find a job with her, there’s n-no one who can watch her, so I...I’ve just been sitting here trying to figure out w-what to do…”

Greys lift back to his face. “...I know she’s been d-driving everyone nuts. But she just keeps getting colicky and I don’t know why. I’m really sorry if she’s been keeping you awake. I’ll...I’ll try to get her to bed.”

Obito just...stares. So some jackass knocks her up...and then leaves her to her fate? Throws a little cash at her and calls it good?! What the fuck is wrong with this guy?! “...not to be, uh...creepy. But are you…? Have you graduated?”

“Yes...just last month. She came along two weeks later. I b-barely made it through my last year.”

“...and he’s off scot free, is he?”

“He -!” She hesitates. “...he’s...he already had a full ride. He’s really smart, and -!”

“I don’t give a fuck how smart he is,” Obito cuts in, making her jump. “He’s clearly trash if he did this to you. Fucking prick.”

Looking unsure at his volatile language, she doesn’t have a reply.

“...so you really don’t have anyone else you can ask for help?”

Her posture wilts. “...no. I was in, um...foster care. And my foster parents weren’t...the best. My dad was absent and my mom died when I was little. No other relatives that I know of, so...it’s just me.”

Sighing, Obito rubs at the back of his neck. He already knows what rent is here: it’s cheap, but still too much for anyone without a job. She’s been here two weeks...so rent’s due in another two.

In truth, the only reason Obito sticks around here is because it’s low profile. He has enough cash to upgrade, but staying low works well for him.

This whole situation isn’t sitting right with him...and something about her reminds him of...someone else.

“...first thing’s first. You need a babysitter. Or a...a nanny. Whatever it’s called.”

She blinks. “...but -?”

“Then you can start looking for a job. Odds are you won’t find anything that pays too well. You have a car?”

“N...no -?”

“Then either something within walking distance, or you commute by bus. Or there’s always the kind of job women get in a neighborhood like this, but,” he amends at her offended look, “that’s not...preferable.”

“...I don’t have any money for a -”

“I’ll cover it.”

Her face goes slack in shock, eyes wide.

“...consider it an investment,” he adds, glancing aside to avoid her gaze. “You get this kid on a schedule and get yourself on one too, maybe I won’t be losing so much sleep. My job pays well, and I don’t have much to spend it on, anyway. You need to get a foot in the door. And I know what it is to have no one to lean on.”

Clearly still unable to process his words, she just...stares at him, mouth slightly agape.

“...I’m Obito, by the way.”

“...Ryū…”

“And who’s this?”

She blinks several times before looking down to her baby. By now, she’s settled to a series of whines and half-sobs. “...Amaya.”

“Well Amaya, you’ve been a pain in my ass for two weeks,” Obito offers, hands on his hips and leaning toward the infant. Dark grey eyes - squinted shut as she cries - open as his talking distracts her, drawing her gaze. “So let’s do something about it, hm? Maybe then we can be friends.”

Seemingly entranced, Amaya stares up at him, suddenly quiet.

Both adults go still.

“...um…” Ryū seems at a bit of a loss. “...I think she likes you.”

Obito, staring back at the baby, looks equally confused. “...usually I frighten babies,” he admits, straightening his posture. “With the whole…” He gestures to his face.

“Well, it seems she doesn’t mind,” Ryū counters, managing a tired smile as Amaya sucks on a thumb. “Maybe I can finally put her down for bed…”

“And then I can do the same,” Obito agrees, loosely folding his arms. “I have work tomorrow, but...we’ll talk when I get back.”

“Do you…?”

“Hm?”

Ryū hesitates. “You...you don’t have to do this...I mean, we don’t -?”

“I told you, I have the money. And I need the sleep. Once you get a leg up, you’ll be fine. Not your fault you were dumped here without any help.”

Her expression wilts, and he prays she isn’t going to cry again. “I’ll...I’ll make it up to you! Do you need, um...anything? I could cook, o-or clean! I handled most of all that growing up, so I’m good at it!”

Obito blinks. He...hadn’t considered that. In truth he doesn’t need much cleaning, he’s pretty tidy (and not home much to make a mess anyway). Cooking, on the other hand…

Maybe that can be where they start.

“...all right. We’ll begin there. You can be my, er…” What’s the term?

“Housekeeper…?” Ryū supplies.

“Yes! That way there’s no commute, no fuss...and you can bring her with you, hm?” He gestures to Amaya.

Ryū brightens, looking at him like he just pulled her out of a burning building. “I...o-okay! Um…” She looks around, seeming a bit overwhelmed at the sudden plans. “...should I...wait until you get back tomorrow?”

“Yes. I need to, er...plan how this will work.” And by that he means making sure she doesn’t stumble upon anything...compromising in his apartment, like his selection of weapons and files on his targets.

That would be...unfortunate.

A wide smile blooms across her face. “All right then! I’ll just...wait to hear from you. And…” Her demeanor softens again. “...thank you. You have...no idea what this means to me. To us.”

A bit awkward at the praise, Obito looks aside and clears his throat. “Er...you’re welcome. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

The door closes, and Obito mulls over the entire conversation. Not...what he had in mind, but maybe this will work.

...he knows what it is to be left without anywhere to turn, anyone to lean on. But even then, he didn’t have a baby to worry about on top of it all. Poor girl.

...he shouldn’t call her girl. She’s an adult, only three years younger than himself. But...well, he’s aged a lot mentally in his lifestyle. And clearly she’s just getting started. A level one adult, while he feels like he’s at least level fifty after all he’s had to go through.

Sighing, he relishes in the silence as he heads back to his apartment, needing hardly any time to collapse into bed and find sleep.

Come morning...it’s time to get to work.

Going over his target’s file and the plan he’s made to get the job done, Obito packs his sniper rifle and heads out. Dressed in a suit and putting on an air of confidence, he walks right into a private office building and makes his way to a top floor. It’s currently empty, as well as several floors below it, in preparation of new clients.

The perfect opportunity, as his target works just across the street on the same level. He’ll have a shot, and some room to work (and hopefully go unnoticed enough to get out without being caught). Setting up the tripod, he cuts the glass of a window to give the bullet less to travel through, assembling the weapon and awaiting the proper moment.

Settled at the scope, he watches as the executive he’s been paid to off heads into his office, taking a phone call.

All alone.

Adjusting the crosshair to account for the wind, Obito takes a steadying breath, holds it...and fires.

A splatter of red blooms along the wall behind his target, body immediately limp.

Perfect.

Practiced hands then quickly disassemble the gun, getting it back into its case and making his way to the elevator.

By the time anyone heads up to investigate the noise, he’s already heading back out the door. A call to his burner phone confirms the kill, and the wiring of the funds to his account.

All in all, he’s only gone an hour.

Back in his apartment, he finds it’s still quiet. Seems Ryū and Amaya are having a good morning. Changing his clothes and stashing his gun, he then goes about readying his apartment for his guest.

Well...guests, he supposes.

He does have a gun safe, and all of his supplies fit within it. And a locked file cabinet holds all of his research and client information. He highly doubts Ryū’s the type to even begin sneaking around, let alone be able to get past the locks he has in place.

He’s ready.

Heading back to her door, he knocks and awaits an answer. Though still looking exhausted, Ryū appears a bit more perky today than she did yesterday. Maybe she also got some sleep.

“Good morning!”

“Morning. Should we, er...give this a try?”

Nodding, Ryū packs Amaya into a carrier, heading the few steps down the hall and into Obito’s apartment. A few glances show it’s...rather Spartan, with hardly any personal effects, or...even mess.

...does he really need her to -?

“So, uh…” Obito itches at the rear of his neck, trying to think. “I know there’s not much to be cleaned, but...it’s lacking in other ways. I don't go grocery shopping much. I tend to order food rather than cook myself. It’s expensive.”

Ryū blinks. He did say he had the money, though…

“It’s also not healthy. And my money goes to a better place this way anyway,” he adds, seemingly reading her thoughts. “So it’s a win several times over. Now we just need to, er...figure out how this will work.”

“Do you...work regular hours?” she asks, setting Amaya down.

“Not really. I’m a contract worker,” Obito replies, having perfected that lie long ago. “I get a call, I go in. Otherwise I tend to jump about doing other things. I’m at the gym a good bit.” Mostly to keep in shape for his work, but also to help keep his mangled body as limber as he can manage. That and the physical effort keeps him from thinking too much. “So usually I’m not home much anyway.”

Ryū curls a thoughtful hand against her mouth. “...well, I guess I could start with a time in the morning to get breakfast out of the way for you, and then...if you’re gone all day, fix lunches to take with you…? And I can work on other tasks while you’re gone, and have supper ready by a set time, or...you can call if you’re going to be late.”

Obito blinks. That...seems pretty simple. “Sure. I’ll get a new card to leave with you so you can pick up whatever you need. Pretty sure you know what you’re doing.”

“B-but -?”

“Hm?”

She hesitates. “...that’s...putting a lot of trust in me, isn’t it?”

“True. But if you mess up, I’ll just fire you,” he replies blithely. “I think you know better than to try anything.”

“I...I guess so. I guess I’m just not used to anyone, um...trusting me that much,” she admits.

“Well, you’re trusting me, in turn. I could be a total creep tricking you into all of this for other gains,” Obito counters as he folds his arms, seeing her jolt slightly. “...but I’m not. So we’re even in that regard, hm?”

“...seems that way.”

Glancing to a clock, Obito sighs. “...well, how should we start? Now? Tomorrow? Or -?”

“I can start today!” Ryū chirps in reply. “...that is, if you want me to.”

“Sure. Though I’ll need time to get the card, and another key…” He hums to himself, rubbing at his chin. “...I’ll do that today. Then you can really get started tomorrow. For now,” he adds, reaching into his pocket to fetch his wallet and handing her a wad of cash that makes her eyes go wide. “Go get whatever you want for the week.”

“O...okay. Um…” She looks back up to him. “Any...allergies, or dislikes…? Things I should avoid?”

He waves a hand. “Not really. So long as there’s no szechuan, I’ll be fine.”

To his surprise, she snorts. “Well, all right then.”

“We’ll go get the spare made first, then you can get going, and I’ll head to the bank. You’ll probably be back first.”

“Okay. What time should I plan for dinner to be ready?”

“I’m usually back by six.” A pause, and then, “Do you have a phone?”

“I do!”

He exchanges their numbers. “I’ll call if something comes up.”

From there, they both head out, a keymaker a few blocks away. Ryū totes along Amaya, who stays relatively quiet for the trip. Once she has her spare key, she scoots off to find groceries.

And Obito heads to the bank.

The card is simple enough, and will make anything else she has to get down the road a lot simpler. That way Ryū can just attend to any business without having to ask him about it every time.

From there, he decides to take some time at the gym until the end of the day. It’ll help him think, and blow off some steam. Especially since he actually has energy from a full night’s rest for the first time in...well, since Ryū moved in, really. As he pushes his body to its limits, he mulls over the situation as a whole. He’s sure this is going to work. Just...get her going. Make sure she has a kind of...foundation to go off of.

More than he was granted, since he’s able to pay his fortune forward.

Once the time for dinner starts rolling around, he walks back, the cool evening air wicking the sweat along his skin. He always prefers to shower at home...you never know what’s lurking in the public ones.

He’s seen some things.

One elevator ride later, he comes up to his door, finding it locked and slipping in his key.

As soon as he does, he pauses.

The kitchen is directly across from the entryway, and it’s...occupied for once. Hair tied up in a messy bun, Ryū scurries back and forth, juggling a few pans and something in the oven. A menagerie of smells actually makes Obito’s stomach whine petulantly in hunger. It’s clear she’s done some actual cleaning, too - while he doesn’t leave things lying around, he can’t remember the last time he dusted. A window is open, letting in fresh air and leaving the apartment smelling far better than its usual musty scent.

While the appearance isn’t that different, the feeling is...like another world. And not just the apartment...it’s clear Ryū is feeling a lot better, too.

It’s all so oddly...domestic.

After he stares for a solid thirty seconds, she notices him, perking up. “Oh!” Turning to the oven’s clock, she sees that it reads a quarter to six. “I’m almost done!”

“...that’s fine,” Obito manages to reply, finding his head. “I...need a shower, anyway.”

“Okay!”

Moving to the bathroom, Obito does just that, emerging and dressing in his typical evening lounge wear of sweatpants and a tank top. Peering back out, he finds the kitchen empty, food left to keep warm.

Instead, Ryū is on the couch.

She’s...asleep?

Head slightly tilted, her mouth is a bit agape, breathing softly. And atop her chest, also asleep (and clearly having just been fed), is Amaya.

In spite of himself, Obito’s face goes a bit warm at the sight, averting. He...can’t see anything from here (the baby is covering anything...lewd), but her shirt is still very clearly tugged to one side.

...seems she tuckered herself out. But the dark circles are starting to fade. Apparently she’s already making up her rest deficit. And while she’s clearly tired, it’s more of an...accomplished tired than ‘up with the baby all night’ tired.

In spite of himself, Obito feels his lips twitch. She really is cute, what with her demure demeanor. But...she’s also pretty plucky, trying to make this all work on her own. Part of him can’t help but admire that. She’s pretty tough despite her fragile appearance.

...okay, he’s...thinking about this too much. And they both need to eat something.

Not wanting to be rude, he sheepishly approaches, carefully jostling Ryū’s shoulder to wake her.

“...huh…?”

“You, uh...fell asleep. Hungry?”

Blinking a bit blearily, Ryū stares at him for a moment before stiffening, realizing her position. “Oh -!” She (very carefully) scrambles to adjust her outfit, not wanting to wake the infant. “I...I’m sorry -”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not the only one that needs to eat around here,” he tries to joke, lips flickering into a sheepish smile.

Still, her face is quite warm, carefully tucking Amaya back into her carrier to nap. “I, um...I hope dinner’s okay?”

“If it’s half as good as it smells, it’ll be more than fine.” Heading to the kitchen, he pauses, noticing she’s not following. “...coming?”

Her brow furrows. “...but -?”

“You made it, you get to eat it. Just...get over here.”

Blinking, Ryū does as asked, skittering across the apartment and taking a nervous seat opposite Obito at his little table.

An awkward silence blooms, each of them taking a bite.

Obito, however, quickly perks up. “...this is really good!” he offers after swallowing. “You take lessons?”

“Um, no...just...consulted the internet a lot growing up,” she admits, looking shy at the praise. “And...a lot of practice.”

“Consider yourself a permanent hire,” Obito adds, shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.

A bit pink, Ryū nonetheless brightens at his words, giggling a little and taking another bite herself.

Maybe this is going to work, after all.

     Ohhhhhhh my gods this is late, but I’m been SWAMPED irl and just...really burnt out, so I kinda...took a week break BUT I’ve been working on things! I had another prompt for today but it kinda got...out of hand SO I did this in the meantime!      I think it’s super cute ;w; Single parent AUs are just! really cute. I almost went with Obito being the parent (maybe I’ll do that another time lmao) but this just felt easier to do for a quicker one xD      THREE MORE TO GO and one has a prompt already, I might tweak the other two. I need shorter ideas so I can get them done I’m so behind, I’m a bad u_u But at least there’s this for today, we’ll see how tomorrow goes! Thanks for reading~

[sweets-fanfics]

Homecoming 19

Title: Time to abandon ship

Word count: 3676

Warnings: bit a violence, some gross as fluff, the usual

Tag: @rollyjogerjones

AN: Remeber you can read Homecoming and more on my AO3:

AO3

And read my Original Novel, Sky Titans, on Wattpad:

wattpad

______________

You and Arthur stayed silent for a while. Mainly because you had just got Bea to sleep and none of you wanted to wake her again. You sighed and took Arthur’s hand. “I thought you died…” You admit to him and yourself.

“You know I’m hard to kill.” He said, trying to lighten the mood. 

“And I don’t want you to blame yourself for missing Bea… She was a surprise to us all.” You smiled at him, “I’m actually relieved you weren’t here. I was sick all the time and emotional.” You look at your shoes embarrassed. “I was sure the camp wanted me gone for a bit. After she was born I realized I may have been a bit of a bitch.”

You both chuckle. “Well you were makin’ one good lookin’ baby girl, so I think they forgave you.”

“I did, didn’t I.” You brush some hair from her face. “She has your beautiful eyes.”

“I don’t know about my eyes bein’ beautiful.”

You give him a look and he smiles, “Arthur Morgan, do you realize how good looking you are?” He rolled his eyes. “I’m serious. The first time I saw you I’m pretty sure I got feelings for you right away.”

Arthur’s face started turning red. “Oh… come on now Y/N don’t play with me.”

“I ain’t playing with ya. Have I ever lied to you?”

He pretended to think about it for a moment. “Well… I ain’t too sure.” You smacked his arm as he chuckled and pulled you into a kiss. “You know you’re beautiful right? You’re the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen.”

You began to tell him he was now messing with you when you both heard noises. 

“Mr. Van Der Linde, I’ll give you the count of three before we begin firing.” You pick up Bea as Arthur peaks out the curtain.

“They are facin’ the house where everyone is. I don’t think they know we are in here.” He whispers to you. 

“My guns, they are by the door.” You point to them as a Gatling gun begins firing. You drop to the ground with Bea even though the shooting isn’t coming for you. 

A moment later the hatch under the house opens and Sadie hops in. “You two okay?” 

“They don’t know we’re in here.” You say hugging Bea to you tightly. You glance under your bed and see Bear shaking. “I want to help..”

“No. Stay with Bea. Sadie and I got this.” Arthur says before kicking the door open and instantly taking out six men.

You crawled under the bed while Bea began to cry. “Shhh…” You tried to calm her. “It’s okay baby. It’s going to be okay.”

The firing on the Gatling gun stopped but you could still hear shooting nearby. You crawled out still keeping low to the ground. Bea tried to crawl out too but you pushed her back under. “No, no baby. I’m just grabbing my gun just in case. Stay with Bear.” Bea gave you sad eyes that almost broke your heart but she listened and crawled back under. 

When you were sure she was far enough under you ran to your pistol, almost tripping over Bea’s doll. You yanked the gun out of the holster that was hanging off of an old dresser and checked to make sure there were bullets. You peeked out the window to see an agent stalking towards the house. You gasped and hurried to a dark corner where he wouldn’t see you right away. 

“Beatrice Morgan you stay under that bed, you hear me?” You whisper to her.

You watched her put her hands over her eyes and hide her face into Bear’s fur just as the man opened the door. He walked in with his gun ready as he searched around.

“If anyone’s hiding in here, you are under arrest.” He gruffed. 

You held your breath hoping he wouldn’t see you or Bea and just leave but as you watched him glance and head towards the bed you knew it wasn’t happening. 

You cocked back the hammer and fired hitting him in the back of the head before he could even glance underneath. The body fell on to the bed with a thump. 

“Bea, come here baby. But don’t look.” She crawled out and ran to you. You picked her up and held her face into your neck so she wouldn’t see. “Bear let’s go.” 

Bear crawled out and got into protection mode. He followed you as you glanced outside still clutching Bea tightly. You had been so distracted in the short amount of time you hadn’t noticed the shooting ended.

Arthur ran up and pulled both of you into his arms. “You both okay?” He mumbled before looking you both over. He spotted a bit of the man’s blood on Bea’s shoe and began to panic.

“There’s a body on my bed. I was hidden in the corner and she was under the bed with Bear when I shot him.” Arthur let out a sigh of relief and kissed your head and the back of Bea’s head.

“Charles and I will take care of it.” He says as Dutch hurries up.

“How did they find us?” he asks, angry. Bea’s grip on you tightens at the sound of his angry voice.

“I have an idea.” You glare at Micah from across the camp who smirks.

“Will you drop that preposterous idea already, Y/N.” Dutch rubs his chin and sighs, “Is Bea okay?”

“She’s just really scared at the moment.” You don’t stop petting her hair and trying to calm her down. “I think we gotta move. It was an almost peaceful two years but we have to move before the Pinkertons come back.” Susan and Pearson nod and begin getting stuff ready to go. Dutch looked at them a bit angry that they listened to you and didn’t wait for his orders. “I believe Charles and I had found a potential new camp near Annesburg.” You explain to him.

“Then we’ll go there. But it’ll just be a stepping stone. All we need is a bit of cash and then we can get out of here.” You hold an eye roll at him going back to his plan.

“Father, it’s been two years. Maybe we should give up the entire Tahiti idea and just try to get everyone somewhere safe.”  You try to explain as Henry and Micah walk up and cut you off.

“Father, Micah and I can go make sure we got everyone while the others get ready to go.” You glare at your brother who ignores you.

“Perfect idea, son. You two go do that.” Dutch agreed immediately.

“They are just tryin’ to get out of packing.” You groan.

“Not now Y/N. Not now.” Dutch walks away leaving you fuming next to Arthur.

 Abigail walks up to the three of you. “You and Bea can sleep with Jack and me tonight if you want.” She says softly.

“Thank you, Abigail. Can you take Bea in, I gotta talk to Arthur.”

She nods, takes Bea from you and heads inside. “Arthur we gotta go.” You say as soon as you both are alone.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean we gotta leave the gang. Luca and his wife still say they’d help us get a small place. We could build a ranch and get away from all this. John and Abigail have been talkin’ about doin’ that as well.” 

Arthur rubs his chin and thinks, “We can’t just abandon Dutch and the gang.”

“He’s already abandoned us, Arthur. It’s Micah, he has my father and my brother wrapped around his finger. It would be better to abandon ship now.” You grab his hand so he’d look at you. “Please think about it. I’ll take Bea into the city tomorrow, visit Luca and see if they can help.”

“Why are you taking Bea?” He asks. His eyebrows move together in frustration.

“Luca and his wife Jill had a son. I can say it’s a play date.” You explain.

Arthur thought a bit longer but sighed, “Alright, I’ll talk to John and see if he and Abigail still want out as well. Maybe if Dutch sees how much of us want to stop he’ll snap out of it.”

You kissed Arthur’s cheek and smiled, “Thank you. I’m sorry your day back has been so… much.”

Your husband shrugs as if it’s a normal day. “You go try to sleep, I’m gonna help clean up and maybe go say hi to Athena.”

“Goodnight, cowboy.” You say as you began to head for the cabin.

“Goodnight, my love.” Your face heats up since you had fully expected him to call you ‘princess’ as he always did. You turn and give him another smile before heading inside. 

Bea is still awake and runs up to you. “You should be asleep, missy.” You sigh and pick her up.

“She just kept saying your name.” Karen groaned. You glance at her and see the sitting against the wall with a bottle in hand.

“Why are you drinkin’? You said you’d give it up.” 

Karen rolls her eyes and takes another swig, “Shut up. Your father is back so you are no longer in charge.”

You decide to ignore her and walk towards Abigail who’s getting comfortable next to an already sleeping Jack. “Don’t mind her.” Abigail sighs as you sit next to her slowly rocking Bea.

“I won’t… I’ve just had a bad feeling in my gut since I spoke to my father before everything happened just now.” Abigail rubs your shoulder in a comforting way. “He accused me and John of workin’ for the Pinkertons.” 

“He’s insane. That Micah has probably been getting in his head the entire time they were gone.” 

“He even yelled at Arthur saying that if he hadn’t married me the bank job in Saint Denise would have gone ok.” You run your hand through your hair in frustration. “I’m not sure I wanna be near him anymore.” You say in a lower voice so only she hears. 

“Get some sleep and we can talk tomorrow.” She glances at Bill who is getting ready to sleep. 

“Alright. Thank you, Abigail.”

___________________

When you wake up in the morning you feel around for Bea. You shoot up fast when you realize she isn’t there. You glance around the small cabin that everyone was now sharing out of fear of the Pinkertons coming back. Karen is still asleep. Mary-beth and Tilly are both talking softly to each other. But it’s just you four inside. 

“Mary-beth, Tilly, do you know where Bea is?” You ask softly to not wake Karen.

“Arthur took her outside about an hour or so ago.” Tilly smiles, “He said he wanted you to sleep a little more.” 

You let out a sigh of relief which makes both girls giggle. “You were sleepin’ so soundly, none of us had the heart to wake ya,” Mary-beth adds.

“Thank you, girls. I’ll go check on them.” 

You head outside and are blinded by the sudden late morning sunlight hitting you. The muggy-ness of the swamp doesn’t annoy you as much anymore, but you still don’t like it. You glance around at the place you had called home for two years, it was now riddled with bullet holes and everyone looked on edge. Javier is pouring a cup of coffee near where Pearson cooks. 

“Good morning Javier. How are you feeling?” You ask him.

“Fine.” He says flatly and walks away leaving you confused. 

“Are you looking for Arthur?” Charles asks walking up to you.

“Yes.”

“He and Bea are looking at the horses. Be ready to go later. Arthur and I were able to clear out the campsite last night.”

“Was it difficult?”

“Just had to clear out some cannibals.” He says as if it’s normal.

“Thank you for your hard work Charles.” You say before walking towards the horses.

You can hear Bea giggling as Arthur softly talks to her. “Were you takin’ care of Athena for me while I was gone?”

“No, Momma.” Bea mumbles.

“Momma, huh? Guess we’ll have to say thank you to her.” You put a hand on his shoulder making him turn and smile. “Here she is.” He kissed your cheek as Bea reached for you.

“Hi, Momma.”

“Hi, baby. Were you helpin’ daddy?” She nods and also kisses your cheek. “You wanna go visit Uncle Luca with momma?” Bea smiles and nods. 

“Will you two be okay?” Arthur asks.

“Yeah, She loves going for rides on Suzie.”

“I think we are gonna move the camp to the new place today.” He explains.

“I heard it was not a very pleasant place.” 

“Yeah, they had a girl in there they were torturing, I made sure she got home okay.” 

You put your free hand on his cheek which he leans his face into and kisses your palm. “You are a good man.”

“I’m not, but I’m tryin’ to get better for you and Bea.” He leans in and kisses your lips softly which makes Bea giggle. 

“You are a good man, and one day I hope you see it.” You both walk up to Suzie with Arthur’s hand softly placed on the small of your back. 

He takes Bea as you climb up and then places her in front of you. “Now, Little Bea, you gotta watch momma’s back today okay?”

Bea gave a firm nod. “Love you.” She says to him softly making him completely turn into putty. 

“I love you too.” He kisses her nose. You can see the look in his eyes of how in love he is with his daughter.  “I’ll come get ya once I have them all moved in.”

“Thank you, honey.” He kisses your hand once more before stepping back and letting you and Bea take off.

__________

You hitch Suzie at the Bronte mansion. Luca had moved in once his father… ‘mysteriously’ disappeared. He took over all of his father's work and actually turned it around for good and not mob work.

Luca and Jill were already outside with their son, Nick, as you grabbed Bea off of Suzie. You let Bea run to Nick and the two instantly forgot that anyone was around and they went to play.

“Mrs. Morgan!” Jill called to you with a smile. “I was hoping you’d come today.” 

“Y/N, what’s wrong?” Luca notices immediately.

“I need to speak to you both if it’s okay.” 

Luca nods and asks one of the maids to watch the kids while we went into the study. Luca and Jill both watched as you looked out the window at Bea. “What’s the matter?”

“Arthur came home.”

The couple smiles, “This great news!” Jill cheers, “We must have you both over for supper one night.” 

As Jill continues getting excited Luca notices you don’t smile and puts a hand on his wife’s to calm her, “What else happened?” He asks.

“My father, he’s different. He yelled at me, accusing me of being a rat.”

“If it’s about our friendship you know we’d never say anything.”

“I don’t even think it’s that. He’s just so much more paranoid, and then the Pinkertons showed up last night.”

Luca sits up alarmed, “What? Are you hurt?”

“No, and we didn’t lose anyone… But I think Micah told them. I thought maybe two years away he’d die or Dutch would find out. But no, it’s like he got to land and went straight to them.” You run your fingers through your hair. “Maybe I should have just shot him those years ago.”

Jill, forgetting you run with a dangerous gang is taken aback before letting her self catch up to what you said. You knew she was always too sweet for her own good.

“Well… if you need an out. We can hide you three here.” Luca suggests and Jill agrees, nodding.

“Thank you. But we have people we can’t abandon… And I’m not sure you all could fit us here…” You glance at their home. “On second thought..”

Luca smiles at your attempt of humor. “Well how about what I offered that night years ago?”

“That’s why I’m here.” You sit in the chair across from them. “I’m hopin’ you both can still help us. I know for most certain it would be my family and another family of three. I’m not quite sure about others. If you have any farmland so we can try to earn our keep and pay you both back…”

Luca put his hand up to stop you, “Y/N, I’d never ask you to pay us back,”

“But I know for certain my husband will want to. And that I will want to,” You take a deep breath and wipe a few tears that are slipping out. “I want Beatrice to have a life that isn’t revolved around her crazy grandfather. I used to dream about running with him and his gang as a young girl… but after bein’ apart of it, it’s done nothin’ but make me want out. Arthur and Bea are the only ones I’m fighting for, along with helping Abigail and John get out too.”

Luca nods and stands going to his desk and writing something, “I’ll start looking at our properties If I find one where can I find you?”

“Near Annesburg.”

Jill gasps, “Annesburg? It’s not safe for travelers in those areas.” 

“I know, but we gotta hide from the law up there.” You can tell she was still worried, “You know I’m a tough girl who can shoot down a few rednecks.” She sighs and smiles. You can still see the fear.

_____________

You end up letting Bea play until late into the afternoon. Bea and Nick are playing with some of Nick’s toys on the floor with you and Jill watching over them while enjoying tea. That’s when you hear a knock at the door. You glance at the door worried as a servant walks up and opens it. You let out a sigh of relief when you see Arthur's broad shoulders behind the tiny servant.

He awkwardly follows the servant into the room, taking his hat off and pushing his hair away from his face. “A Mr. Morgan here Ma’am.” The servant hums.

“Thank you, Robert.” Jill smiles. The servant bows and walks away as Arthur stands next to the couch your on. Jill giggles, “Mr. Morgan, please have a seat.”

“Your seat looks very clean, Mrs. Bronte,” Arthur says glancing at his dusty pants.

“Oh I have a son, Arthur, nothing is clean. Please have a seat and relax. Y/N was telling me about your adventure to Guarma.” Arthur nods and sits next to you taking your hand. “Would you like some tea? Setting slaves free must be tiring.”

Arthur chuckles and nods. “Thank you very much, Mrs.”

“Oh please call my Jill. Your wife has been so kind to us in the past years. Helped us clean out all of the mob in this dreaded… family business.” She rolled her eyes.

Bea at the point had noticed Arthur and her smile got wide as she pulled Nick’s sleeve. “Daddy!” She exclaimed. 

“Oh, she learns ‘daddy’ in one day.” You sigh sarcastically as Arthur gives you a look.  

“Don’t three-year-olds usually talk a bit more?” He asks you and Jill making you both laugh.

“Oh yeah, Bea talks all the time. She acts like she doesn’t but she didn’t stop talking the entire ride here. And she and Nick talk.” You smile as Bea gives you a smug smile before running back to Nick.

“Soon she’ll talk your ear off too Mr. Morgan.” Jill smiles sweetly.

“Arthur!” Luca says walking in and shaking his hand. “I’m glad you're okay. You had us all worried. I even sent a boat out to look for you. I sadly admit I feared the worst when they came back empty-handed.”

“Thank you for helping Y/N and Bea while I was away.” 

“All Jill and I did was be a friend, your wife is too tough to truly ever need help.” He sits next to Jill and hands you a stack of papers. “Y/N, look these properties over.”

“Properties?” Arthur asks glancing. 

“You own all of these?” You ask looking at the stack of at least five different places.

“Well, My father did. I’m sure your family will put better use to whatever my father had wanted to do.” He puts an arm around his wife and kisses her cheek. “I love this whole vigilante work.”

You sigh and shake your head, “Hardly vigilante work, Luca.” You fold the papers and slip them in Arthurs satchel, “We’ll look them over later. For now… we should probably go help unpack.”

Arthur can see how much you don’t want to do that. “Your right, I guess.”

“I hope you two stay safe. I’ll come to see you if I think of anything else that will help.”

_________________

You hop on to Suzie and begin to reach for Bea in Arthur’s arms. “Wanna ride with Daddy,” Bea announces as she latches on to Arthur’s shirt.

“You sure? You’re gonna break Suzie’s heart.” 

Bea smiles and hugs her small arms around his neck. “Daddy.” She says as firmly as a three-year-old can be.

“Fine, then how about a race.” You smirk. Arthur smiles knowing he can never turn down a challenge.

“You sure about that, princess?” He says coyly. 

“Me and Suzie versus you, Bea and Athena.”

Arthur hops onto Athena balancing Bea in one hand. “You are on.”

“You ready, set, go.” 

Arthur and Bea take off and you act like you are having trouble getting Suzie to go until they are out of sight. You quickly pull your pistol out and turn to aim it behind you. “What do you want?”

Micah comes out with hands up and smirking. “We gotta have a talk. Heard you ratted me out to your old man, Princess.”

[crimsonhorroreyes]

Missing Her

The tower was quiet. Much too quiet. Even with music playing, the movie on the large TV of the common floor, the clanging of dishes from the kitchen of the same floor as Wanda and Pepper made a nice dinner for everyone, and the mechanical sounds of Nat cleaning her gun while she listened to Tony, Bruce, and Sam argue over something that likely didn't matter. Thor had been in Asgard for weeks now. Clint had gone home for the weekend hours ago. Vision stood at one of the floor to ceiling windows and watched the city; most likely also listening in just like Nat. Steve and Bucky sat next to each other on the couch in front of the tv, Steve's arm draped around the other man's shoulders. Steve was only half paying attention as something to do but Bucky could only focus on how utterly quiet everything felt. Sure it was a well deserved break from the craziness that made up the lives of the Avengers but it just didn't feel quite right. Not without her. 

Her laugh lit up the entire tower. Her smile was absolutely contagious. Her presence felt like home. Her name was Camille Rayne Ridley but the general public knew her as Vector. Those that called the tower home knew her by Rayne; other than Tony, Steve, and Bucky of course. To Tony she was Raindrop and the other men had many other pet names for their girl.

Rayne had been called on by Fury for a solo mission that seemed never ending. Her darling boys had literally been counting the days she was gone. Two months and four days. Fury assured the team everyday that their girl had green-lighted but it didn't make Bucky feel any better. He was becoming anxious at this point. He supposed it could be that he and Steve hadn't slept just the two of them for this long in several years and that it made falling asleep a little harder for the pair. They just wanted her home and in their arms. Bucky knew Steve was more affected by her absence than he let on and that fact alone made him even more anxious.

Dinner was uneventful to say the least and once everything was cleaned up Steve and Bucky retreated to their floor for some alone time. They got into some lounge clothes after showering together, choosing to lay in bed cuddling for the remainder of the night. Steve had put on some music as background but it was one of the vinyls Rayne had put on the record player. They both smiled. She had chosen to play some Frank Sinatra while she showered and they remembered coming home to the familiar music from their time. She always did little things like that to make them fall that much harder for her. 

"I miss her" the brunette stated as he watched his boyfriend climb into bed. "I miss her too, Buck" Steve settled into bed, laying his head on Bucky's chest. "You remember when she left" the blonde kept his gaze forward with a small smile on his lips. "How could I forget" Bucky smiled all the same. 

"I've got a mission boys. Fury just called" Rayne spoke as she quickly slipped into her suit. "This late? It's already seven" the blonde joked. The woman giggled lightly, her light brown locks falling around her face as she put her boots on,"Yeah, in the morning." Bucky chose to laugh lightly too before speaking up, "How long?" "He didn't say but it sounds like a long one. I'll finish as soon as I can though" she looked up at her brunette lover and smiled. She knew he hated when she left on her own; both of her boys did. "Be careful alright" Buck wrapped his arms around her waist knowing they couldn't argue much with Fury's short demands. "You both know I will be. I want to come home to you in one piece" she smiled, kissing him. It filled Steve with so much love to watch his lovers. "You better" the blonde soldier added as he followed in Bucky's steps when Rayne made her way to him. She smiled into the kiss before breaking and making her way to the door. "I miss you both already" she blew kisses to both of them, watching as they both acted like they caught them before dashing out.

"I love the way she says goodbye but I hate to see her go," the brunette added. Steve smiled but it was short lived, "I hope she's alright." The men fell into silent agreement as they thought of all the things that could be happening to their precious girl.  "I bet she misses us just as much as we miss her" Steve continued, not wanting the music to be the only noise as it was soft. Bucky nodded, "You know she does. She always does."

Steve had a nightmare that night. It was a bad one. One that sucked all the oxygen from his lungs before he woke up. It woke Bucky but only because he never slept soundly without both of his lovers. Steve never had many nightmares unrelated to his PTSD that actually woke him up so when Bucky noticed that Steve's eyes were still perfectly focused he was surprised. The Winter Soldier knew it must have involved the team because before the blonde felt comfortable enough to lay back down he asked Friday how everyone in the tower was. They talked for another hour about anything and everything to keep his mind off of all the things bothering him.

"You look horrible" Sam's voice came from the elevator. "Last night's attack hit Bucky pretty hard. He couldn't sleep" Cap answered since his lover was currently in the shower. "Yeah, I heard Tony was up all night too" Sam walked into the super soldiers' kitchen where Steve was sitting, "How long has she been now?" The blonde frowned, "Getting too close to three months now for my liking. I think we're both going a little crazy from that too." "I thought so. We all miss her too. It doesn't feel normal without her anymore" Sam smiled fondly, "She's definitely part of the team." That brought a smile to Steve's lips as he couldn't agree more. 

Steve and Bucky and been settled into bed for two restless hours when they heard the elevator ding from their living room. Footsteps made their way into the kitchen, prompting the boys to look quizzically at one another. They lifted they're tired selves from the bed and made their way quietly to find who had been so kind as to visit them at twelve in the morning. "Rayne" they called out confused, shocking the poor girl. She whipped around, closing the refrigerator door as she did. "Gosh you scared the hell out of me. Did I wake you up? I'm so sorry" she sounded tired herself. Even more exhausted than them in fact. That didn't stop them from running over to hug and shower her in kisses. She smiled doing her best to keep up with them until Bucky squeezed her a little too tightly and she squeaked in pain. They both released her and looked down at her with concern. "Where are you hurt" Steve wasted no time with his question. She looked up at him. "Please don't be too worried, but I got shot the other day" Rayne's words caused her soldiers' eyes to widen. "The other day? How bad is it" Bucky panicked. "Calm down Baby, I'm okay. I was able to dodge it so it didn't hit anything vital but it went straight through some of my skin over her" she used her left hand to gesture to the meatier area just under her rib cage on her right side, "it hasn't healed yet so it's still pretty tender." "Can we look at it" Bucky asked, worriedly cupping her cheek with his metal arm. "Just to make sure" Steve added, mirroring his boyfriend. "Of course, I'd love some help getting out of these clothes anyway" she smiled at them. She was fine. Rayne had been shot before and it was much worse than this.

They took extra care when getting comfortable in bed after getting her showered and re-wrapping her wound. She was beat up pretty bad but not as bad as the soldiers were expecting after such a long mission. She was covered in bruises and abrasions all in various states of healing, even her left eye showed little signs of a healing shiner.

Steve was curled into Rayne's back, his arm wrapped around her so that his hand rested in the space just above her heart. He made sure not to put too much pressure on the bullet wound. Bucky faced her with his hand on her hip. He admired the way his lovers looked in front of him like this. Rayne's left hand rested between Bucky's cheek and his pillow. Her thumb gingerly rubbed over the skin just under his eye on his cheekbone. The fingers of the woman's other hand were entwined with Steve's.

This was the moment. This was the moment Bucky needed to bring all the sound back to his world. He could hear their mixed breathing and the fan they keep on because the boys get warmer than most people. The rain that had picked up outside. It was comforting to him.

"I love you so much Baby Doll" he mumbles with a smile. "I love you more" her eyes flickered open to look at her brunette boyfriend. "I love you both the most" Steve chimed in half asleep, they could hear the smile in it though. All of them shared a calm laugh before drifting to sleep happily.

As per usual, Steve woke up first. Eyes landing on the bodies of his lovers breathing deeply next him. They were in the same position as when they drifted off to sleep. All of them really had been exhausted. Steve felt refreshed after finally getting a good night's sleep. Ignoring his normal morning routine, the blonde super soldier couldn't bear to get up. He wanted to enjoy this perfect moment. Remember every detail. He felt so incredibly lucky. 

James Buchanan Barnes was an extraordinarily handsome man in his eyes, inside and out. He was rough around the edges - what Avenger wasn't- and Hydra had royally fucked him over but Steve loved everything about the brunette man. Steve let his eyes wander all over as much of his boyfriend as he could see. Bucky's hair was a little matted from the shower they all took together. His eyes closed and unmoving under the eyelids; he wasn't dreaming. Probably for the best. His toned, bare chest peeked from under the blankets of their large bed.

Camille Rayne Ridley was a stunningly gorgeous woman to Steve. She turned heads when she walked into a room, loved with the entirety of her heart, and kept her teammates grounded. Her levelheadedness on the battlefield was matched by none other. She was unbelievably smart, reminding him a lot of Stark. He supposed that was why they got along so well. He admired her. She had been through a lifetime of hurt in her short time on this Earth and still managed to keep her beautiful smile. She was pressed comfortably into his chest so there wasn't much he could see of her features. He did, however, feel her soft familiar skin under his fingertips. Her long, braided hair draped over her shoulder and his forearm. If he tuned in on the feeling he could tell her light brown tresses were still damp.

"What are you still doing here Handsome?" Bucky spoke, his voice quiet and gravelly from sleep. Crystal eyes cracked open to look into deep ocean ones. "I couldn't bear to leave this," the Captain smiled. Carefully the men leant over their precious sleeping girl and allowed their lips to meet in a honey-sweet kiss. Taking a moment to look back into each other's eyes once they parted. "This feels good, feels complete again" Bucky settled back down to look over the female treasure they called their girl. Steve nodded, nestling back into his spot. "She's sleeping hard today. You think she's on any medication" the blonde wondered aloud. "Depends on how long ago 'the other day' is. The wound didn't look too bad but it's still tender so she probably stopped taking whatever she was prescribed already. You know how she is"Bucky answered, taking in her expressions as her eyes danced beneath their lids. "She might be having a bad dream Stevie," he added. "As long as it doesn't classify as a nightmare we'll be okay" Steve kissed Rayne's shoulder gently. She breathed out deeply from her nose and pushed her body back into his a little in her sleep. Bucky smiled, "that really is a talent, ya know." Steve met eyes with his male brunette lover once more and hummed his response. "Kissing all the bad times away like you do."

The super soldier's spent another three hours drifting between softly talking to each other and light sleep - having told FRIDAY not to let anyone disturb them, unless it was an emergency, until further notice. That's when Rayne finally stirred from her slumber. Yawning and bringing her fists up to rub her eyes. She found Bucky in front of her with a smile; just as she had left him only it was bright now with the sunlight. She smiled back, "morning Buck." "Good morning Baby Doll" he'd given her many nicknames but this was one of her favorites, "Stevie just fell back to sleep." She hummed and looked up at him, begging with her eyes for a kiss. Bucky gave an airy laugh that was quiet enough so the sleeping Cap wouldn't wake. He leaned in to his girlfriend to give her a kiss much like the one he and Steve had shared hours earlier.

Bucky would give Rayne anything she desired so long it was within reason. Steve all the same. They were irresistible to him. His gleaming rays of pure sunshine in an otherwise bleak and hate harboring world covered in deep crimson. He felt sharp, jagged, and unworthy in their presence sometimes. They saw so much good, they caused so much good. However, despite everything, they loved him. He knew they did. It was what kept him going, grounded. It made his heart flutter, full. It made his stomach drop when they were hurt. Most of all, it made him afraid of death. He didn't want to leave them. He couldn't. He knew how it would affect them and he wasn't about to let something like that happen.

"What time is it FRIDAY?" Rayne asked, now facing the ceiling. "It is eight thirty-one in the morning" the AI's voice causing the Captain to stir awake once more. "Well good morning Princess" the blonde mumbled. Bucky smiled as his two lovers shared a sweet morning kiss of their own. "We should really get up" she giggled with her lips lingering over Steve's. 

They did finally get up, though it was well past nine. When they left their floor of Avengers Tower they found Nat and Wanda had a mission but that everyone else was on the common floor. They had all heard that Rayne was finally home and wanted to see her. The woman was so happy to be home to see her team that she ignored the slight pain of her wound when she gave hugs to everyone. There was laughing and talking, just like normal. It felt good to all who were involved.

The tower was no longer quiet. It felt alive with happiness. It felt like home once again. Bucky really focused on anything now. He just enjoyed the smiles and chatter that filled the room. He smiled himself, completely content.

(Just a disclaimer: I consider my MCU with Rayne inserted as an AU or a parallel universe. I change a lot of things around but i have a lot figured out for it so let me know if you’d like to know more. :) )