#they promised to keep him off bodyguard missions!!
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ladywuvly · 3 months ago
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hugh jackman +au. + characters rec list!
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masterlist. socials. recs.
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head canons |
Sleeping next to Logan means that you never have to worry about feeling cold again by @whispersfromaeons Lumberjack!Logan by @groovyangelkisses - Dinner on a cozy fall night. Lumberjack!Logan by @bpmiranda - Logan who is all too happy to deliver lumber in your part of town even though it is very much out of his way. Oldman!Logan Sitting in his lap by @nymphoniah Oldman!Logan and his obsession with the cute diner girl by @thinkinonsense Dogtags by @silverskyeline - You’re wearing logos dogtags as you ride him. Jailbait by @dollverine - logan and his controversially young girlfriend. I was made for loving you by @hanasnx - “I’m gonna take care of you.” Those six words—six—have defined your relationship with your husband, Logan howlett. Raw by @eloquentlytired  Needed little thing by @nymphoniah - Logan is a munch, and he is absolutely shameless about it. Smoking out the window by @nymphoniah My little princess by @bratscave Belt buckle by @gothgoblinbabe
fics & imagines |
This is ours by @d1stalker - It's your first time back at your grandparents' farm in years, and while many things are the same, one thing is not: they've hired a new farmhand. moodboard!by@divinesols Moanin’ and groaning’ by @shellshocklove - Working for your father's timber business isn't what you saw yourself doing, but when the wolverine comes looking for work it's suddenly not so bad, especially when he can teach you a thing or two. Ain't gon' ever deserve you by @awxcoffeexno - Logan has a nightmare and hurts you by accident - or - the one where you worship his claws the way they deserve. Guilty as sin by @logansbaby - The entire time you’ve known logan howlett, you’ve tried to keep your longings locked. then, one night, all that effort goes to waste when you’re confronted about your feelings. Slippin’ and slidin’ all over you by @sceletaflores - Logan forgot to fix the ac. pretty much anything from their masterlist! I can fix him and fuck him by @filmstarved - Nobody can break through logan's walls with ease like you can. and he actually lets you, welcomes it even. he needs it to breathe and when he's ready to walk out of the gifted youngsters door, there you are again. Fortnight by @pretty-little-mind33 - Your dad sends Logan over to help you build some furniture in your new apartment, unaware you'll end up with Logan's head in between your thighs. Would you be so kind in lending a hand? by @malavera - That friendly neighbor of yours is helping you with your wash day. Your perfume is holding me ransom by @retrosabers - The scent of you is driving Logan crazy. Unexpected tendencies by @figsnpassionfruits - Basically just bathroom sex w/Logan. Stain ‘em baby baby by @darnell-la - Logan had just became apart of the x men. he’s always been known to flirt with whoever he could, but when you came around, he realized she was the only one he wanted to smell like. Claws and marks by @mrsimpurity - Getting logan’s name tattooed on you earns you a very unexpected reaction. A peaceful repose by @d1stalker - After some time away on a mission, Logan comes home, and all he wants to do is be around you. Time after time by @hyper-fixates - 4 times you end up in Logan’s bed, and the 1 time he does something about it. Knuckle velvet by @ohcaptains - Logan walks you home, then lets himself in. Give me all of the ultraviolence by @joelsgoldrush - It’s common knowledge that all humans have needs. Try as you may, there’s a primitive side that you can’t spare yourself from. In which you can’t help but suck Logan off.
series/multi part |
Don't be late by @bucketslutz - You've spent your entire academic career trying to hide who you really are. First day of grad school you meet someone that sparks something deep inside you. Your history professor, Logan, makes you feel things you've never felt from someone before. moodboard! Broken promises by @not-neverland06 - Bodyguard Logan falls in love with congressman's daughter. Cross that line by @healmydesires - For a long time, you were content hiding your feelings, but lately, the longing for someone you can’t have has become unbearable. Despite knowing he could never be yours, you still cherished the sweet ache in your heart whenever he smiled or gave you a warm, platonic hug. Then, one day, everything changed. First Drink by @eyesxxyou - You were everything Logan shouldn't want, young, religious, innocent, you were sweet to everyone, and you've never been touched.
Oldman!Logan howlett
Be my baby by @cavillscurls - Logan fucks you in your sundress. Cant get started by @dollfacefantasy - Logan can't get it up one night and is humiliated. but that just means he'll have to prove he can still satisfy you. Chauffeur by @nanivinsmoke - Mean old logan can’t help but to push the best thing away in his life. and you can’t help but to let go of your worst. Like the first time by @eufezco - It has been a long time since you and logan had sex. you should show him that despite everything he hated about himself, you still craved him. Look at me by @silverskyeline - Logan can't fuck like he used to, but you don't care. you get on top, gladly taking care of him in return. Never is a broken promise by @joelsgoldrush - You are everything Logan isn’t: sweet, trouble-free, much younger—and, to top it off, Charles' caregiver. The grave of lust by @moonlight-prose - When his body doesn't work as it used to and the weary bones that poison his soul begin to ache, you take the lead in a dance you know well. Sweetness of the damed by @moonlight-prose - When night falls and wine overflows in glasses of crystal, logan finds his home in between your thighs. Road trip stop by @fake-bleach - Taking a small road trip where you’re halfway to where you need to be, and you're bored out of your mind. unluckily for you, your boyfriend won't possibly give into your antics. Quiet drive by @wlwloverwrites - Logan likes quiet drives, but there’s only way that can happen when you’re sitting in the passenger seat. Sweet revenge by @eyesxxyou - After catching your boyfriend cheating, you and his father, Logan, go on a road trip to confront him, though, you don't make it far Oldman!Logan by @inkedells - Logan is sick and tired of you treating him like he's fragile. He'll ignore his relentless pain to show you what it's like to be taken apart, rough and slow, then fast and agonizing. Fix you by @logansbaby - Logan is dying. You both know it, but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Room for rent by @hauntedhowlett-writes - Logan finds a new roommate.
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disclamer! none of these are my works all credit to the authors! Thank you, to every single one of you, for allowing me to fuck Logan Howlett, in every way imaginable. Y’all deserve your pussies ate from the front and back!
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urdepressedslut · 2 years ago
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You’re Mine, Sunshine
♡ Pairing: Grumpy!Bodyguard!Bucky Barnes x Sunshine!Fem!Reader
♡ Summary: Bucky gets picked by a very rich and respected man to be his daughter’s personal bodyguard. The Father warns him that it won’t be an easy job, that she is a brat and difficult to deal with. But what happens when Bucky meets you and you’re the complete opposite?
♡ Warnings: mentions of amputation, light angst, hints to violence, mentions of death, bucky being a grumpy man
Part 2
Trope ⇢ Grumpy x Sunshine | Mob!AU Bodyguard!AU
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“Mr. Barnes, your résumé so far is quite impressive.” Pierce acknowledged with a slow nod.
Bucky of course had a trained eye, but the glares that were not so subtly sent his way by the big boss— were intimidating. He wasn’t scared, no. He simply respected this man’s power. Bucky knew better than to get on the bad side of someone like Pierce.
“Says here you’re an amputee?” Pierce asked so bluntly, and he noticed Bucky’s eyes squint slightly. “Sorry, if I’m overstepping but nothing will be overlooked.”
“It’s not a problem, sir.” Bucky assured him. “Yes, I lost my left arm during a mission way back.”
Pierce furrowed his brows.
“Mission? I take it you used to be an agent of some sort.” He assumed.
Bucky nodded.
“Hm, very good. Continue.” He waved him on.
“I had some surgical procedures— and now I have a prosthetic.”
Bucky lifted his left arm, rolling his sleeve slightly up to expose the metal to the boss. Pierce hummed impressively, taking in the intricate designs on the metal.
“I can assure you that me having a prosthetic will not be an issue— my arm is made out of only the strongest metal. Bullet proof, in fact.” He added, hoping it would further impress the boss, proving just how perfect for the job he was.
It wasn’t his dream to be a bodyguard, actually it was quite a low in his career— if you asked him. He had fallen out of his previous steady job, due to some complications. He had the experience of being a bodyguard— just not for only one person. It would be a weird change for him, but he was willing to take on the challenge. Also, the pay was nice.
Pierce hummed again, the information that his prosthetic arm was bullet proof— only satisfying him more.
“Like I said, impressive Mr. Barnes. But this is an extremely important task. My only daughter, who must be protected at all costs.” Pierce trailed off, expression growing serious. “It’s been a hard adjustment since the passing of my wife, my daughter is all I have left.”
Bucky nodded in understanding, knowing what it was like to lose loved ones. In fact, that wound was still fresh on him.
“If I allow you to take on this role, you are to swear to yourself that you will do whatever it takes to keep her alive— no matter what.” Pierce spoke loudly, his voice orotund.
Bucky in the back of his mind thought about his choice of words. ‘If I allow you.’ Bucky respected this man, but he had to hold back the scoff that threatened to escape his lips at his statement.
“Do you think you’re ready for that?” Pierce challenged, and suddenly it wasn’t about his daughter at all. It was a man challenging another man, a task that he deemed impossible.
His metal hand behind his back whirred in annoyance. After all that fluffing his head up, complimenting his training. It was clear Pierce thought so little of him, and at that— it made Bucky wanna take the job even more. Just to prove him wrong.
“Yes sir.” Bucky promised, shaking Pierces hand in a firm— slightly aggressive shake.
Pierce smiled, dropping Bucky’s résumé on his desk. Getting himself comfortable, he sat on the edge of the front of the desk, crossing his arms.
“Now, let’s go through what is to be expected.” He started, Bucky nodded for him to continue. “You are to be with her at all times, except for when you sleep. You do sleep right?”
Bucky let the scoff escape this time, but it wasn’t as aggressive as he wanted it to be.
“I’ve got a metal arm, but I’m still human sir.”
Pierce chuckled to himself, and Bucky wanted to roll his eyes. This man thinks he’s so funny.
“Right. You must never let her leave your sight, if she wants to see her friends— you’ll be seeing them with her. Not that it’s going to be an issue, I don’t think she has many friends… or any.” The boss shrugged, seemingly unconcerned about his daughter.
Bucky nodded, taking everything in.
“You are going to be staying with her in the safe house… well— she thinks it’s just a house but the area is guarded with my men.” He shrugged again. “I’m a successful man and with that comes enemies, people who look for my weaknesses. You know that.”
Bucky gave a tight lipped smile, Pierce so far sounding like a father of the year.
“Now, about my daughter. Her name is (Y/n) (Y/L/n), and she is a handful.” Pierce stated frustratedly. “She’s rude, ungrateful, nasty— and just overall extremely difficult.”
Bucky furrowed his brows, rethinking his decision to be a bodyguard for this girl. Fucking lovely.
“You can now understand why I’m paying you the offered amount. It’s only fair to you, Mr. Barnes. Truthfully, I can’t deal with her anymore. I love her, and she’s my daughter but… It just doesn’t work out with me. I’m a busy man— I don’t have time for brats.” Pierce spat, straightening up and heading back around his desk.
Bucky had already been creating this mental image of you, so far you sounded like a witch. He was not at all ready to be dealing with you 24/7.
“Doesn’t sound like a problem boss, I’m happy to be protecting your daughter. Nobody will lay a hair on her head, I swear on my life.” Bucky promised again, bowing his head slightly.
“Oh I know. If anything happens to her and I find out you were slacking even by an inch… well you’re a smart man, I’m sure you can figure it out.” Pierce warned, and Bucky swallowed at the mere intimidation that laced his voice.
But he would not back down to this challenge, which is how he saw this— not a job.
“That will be all Mr. Barnes, (Y/n) is around here somewhere. Find her and take her home.” He told Bucky, putting on his glasses— focusing on his paperwork.
“Yes sir.”
Bucky nodded and turned to exit the room. He was so confused with the interaction. You’d think someone who hires a bodyguard for their daughter would know where their daughter is. The way he spoke about you was off putting. Bucky didn’t even know you, but it felt wrong to hear someone talk so little about you. What did he know anyway— apparently you were a monster.
He made his way through the building with a swift walk, needing to fulfill his duties and find you quickly. He was on the third floor, about to hit the button to the elevator when he saw a young lady. Despite him wanting to find you all on his own, he got her attention.
“Excuse me,” He waved to her with a fake smile, “Do you know where I can find (Y/n) (Y/L/n)?”
The lady smiled and took Bucky by surprise by laughing. His fake smile vanished immediately, his eyes squinting in a annoyed expression.
“That would be me!” You exclaimed with a warm smile.
Bucky’s eyes widened and he thought for a second he was being fucked with, but after you stayed smiling at him, being as patient as ever— he knew you weren’t joking.
“Uh right… Your dad is Pierce?” He asked hesitantly, keeping his guard up. Still thinking someone was messing with him— testing him.
You nodded slowly, giving him a curious expression. Your smile never wavering.
“Yes, and you are?” You asked so politely.
Bucky shouldn’t of been as shocked as he was but truthfully, he was expecting a demon spawn of a person. Red eyes, withered flowers left in your path, a literal storm cloud floating over you— but you looked so normal. So sweet and pretty. Your hair smelled so strongly of strawberry shampoo, he could catch the scent from his spot. Your voice was like honey, the sound soothing.
He was confused as to why your father thought so wrongly of you. He had too many questions.
He cleared his throat, straightening himself now that he believed you were who he was looking for.
“(Y/n), my name is Mr. Barnes— I’ve been hired as your personal bodyguard.” He informed you, watching the corners of your mouth falter slightly.
“Oh, did my Father hire you?” You asked politely.
“Yes ma’am.”
You nodded your head, attempting to keep a smile on your face. But you couldn’t help the distaste for being given a bodyguard. You knew it was only for the sole purpose, that your Father didn’t want to care for you anymore. He wanted nothing to do with you. That fact was enough to make your nose start to burn, but you held yourself together— not wanting to break down in front of this new guy.
Bucky watched you take in the information, the way you took a deep breath, almost controlling yourself before you spoke again.
“Nice to meet you Mr. Barnes. I’m sure we’re going to be great friends.” You told him.
Bucky shook his head, an annoyed expression etching his face.
“Ma’am, I think we should keep things professional. I have been hired as your bodyguard. Let me do my job, and you can continue with your day as usual. You won’t even know I’m here half the time.” He explained rather harshly.
You seemed taken aback, his words hurting you more than they should’ve. You were lonely, and you thought you’d be able to get a friend out of this situation. Even if he was being hired to hang around you. Luck didn’t seem to be on your side as he told you off. The burning felt stronger in your nose, and you took another deep breath.
Bucky only felt bad for a second, but he was quickly snapping back to reality. It was his life on the line to protect you, and if Bucky was anything— it was that he was good at doing his job. This was business, not playtime.
“I’m here to take you home. Are you ready?” He asked you.
You relaxed your quick beating heart, not even having time to speak with your Father. Not that he’d want to anyway. So much had changed since your Mother passed, you had yet to heal those wounds.
You nodded with a weaker smile, one that didn’t quite reach your eyes. If Bucky had noticed your sudden mood change, he didn’t mention it— instead guiding you outside.
He opened the door to the car that was waiting outside for you, climbing in himself after you were settled.
He started driving to your place, with the help of the car telling him directions.
Meanwhile you gazed out the window, watching the buildings pass by. You forced yourself to keep a small smile on your face, hoping you’d convince yourself that the gesture was genuine if you did it long enough.
Bucky glanced back at you through the rear view mirror from time to time, watching you look out the window. He was still trying to come to terms with how polite you were, how completely opposite you were to your Fathers description.
On one hand it was a relief that he didn’t have to deal with the devil. On the other hand… he was anxious to see where this job would lead him.
A/N: I don’t know what is wrong with me, but suddenly I had this urge to write a bodyguard!bucky fic. let’s be honest, we are all slut’s for bodyguard!bucky 😭 I’m also a whore for the trope grumpy x sunshine 🥰🥴 let me know what you think— this is all word vomit.
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loveyjelly · 11 months ago
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To Be Patient
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slightly angsty but good ending
"You can do whatever you want to me. You can think of him while you fuck me. Please just don't leave yet." Rafayel had both of of his hands wrapped around your wrist.
Truthfully, he knew he wasn't the only man you were interested in but it was enough for him that you were with him right now. You've been spending so much time with your missions, Xavier, and Zayne. Where does he fit in your schedule? Because it always seems like you only come to him when he reminds you of his existence or when you're finished with everything you needed to do.
"Rafayel" You mutter under your breath. Seeing this side of him was something you never thought you'd see. "That wouldn't be good for you."
"I don't fucking care." Rafayel tried to make his voice sound stable to try and hide that he's desperate to be with you in any way he could. "Everything you want to do to him, you can do to me for now. If he's too busy for you then just use me instead."
"Rafayel, this is nonsense" Your breathing slowly became ragged. Why would he say such things? Surely, he'd be better off with someone that is not too busy to spend time with him.
"Is it?" He takes your hand and placed it on his chest, on top of where his heart is.
The sudden lack of distance caught you off guard. "If this is too much for you then I'll st- mmh"
You brought your lips to his, cutting him off.
"Does that mean…" He couldn't even dare to finish his sentence out of the fear that you'd say no.
"I'll stay."
The words rung in his ear. He couldn't believe you agreed to stay, not when he just showed how pathetic he can act just so you can keep him company.
You kiss him again, this time deeper. His lips were warm and soft, parting slightly to let your tongue slip inside. You pull him closer by his collar to let your body be fully pressed against his.
Warmth blossomed in Rafayel's chest as he felt your arms wrap around his shoulders. If he had to give up his life to spend a day with you, he would do it without hesitations. Even if he knew you wouldn't have the same answer if you were asked the same question.
"Rafayel."
The way you said his name makes up for your lips separating from his. He noticed how genuine you look and sound right now but maybe he was just seeing things. Every time he longed for you, his heart felt like a stone you were slowly chipping away. You made his heart this way.
"Please, let's just keep kissing." His eyes sparkled with tears, a few blinks away from spilling out.
"I wish you told me you were feeling this way." You ran your hands through his hair.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if you felt the same." His head nuzzled your neck, hiding his tears away from your view.
"You paid me to be your bodyguard, Rafayel. I didn't want to make things complicated since I'm working for you."
"You think too much." He sniffled and tightens his arms around your waist. "Do you feel the same way?" He lifted his head to see you again.
You give him a quick kiss. "I do. I've been so busy the past few weeks it feels like I haven't made you feel like you were as important." Tears pricked your eyes as the weigh of your guilt settles.
"Do what you need to do, you know I'll always be here. Just let me know where you are and what you're doing so I don't have to wonder all time." He kissed a stray tear rolling down your cheek. "As long as you promise to come back to me, I'll be patient."
(this was supposed to have a smutty angsty ending but someone asked me to be their valentine and my mood changed lmao)
(alexa play Love Me Back by fromis_9)
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holylulusworld · 9 months ago
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The widow (3)
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Summary: You trust no one. Not since they got your husband killed.
Pairing: TFaTW!Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader
Warnings: mentions death of a loved-one, mentions of s miscarriage (no description), the reader is under protection, bitchy reader, arguments, grumpy Bucky, angst, grief, protective Bucky & Sam, bitchy agents
The widow masterlist
The widow (2)
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“You need to hurry up. The agents are—” Bucky's eyes drop to your belly, and the scars that tell him so much about your story. He covers his eyes, after roaming every inch of your exposed skin. “Sorry, I didn’t know that you are changing.”
“What the fuck, bird brain,” you growl and grab your shirt. You just stepped out of the bathroom, still in your birth suit. “I didn’t take you for a pervert! The other agents, yes. But you seemed to be at least not a creep wanting to get me under them right after they got my husband killed.”
“I didn’t see a thing,” he lies. Bucky is not a creep taking the chance to stare at your naked body. He simply looked at the scars on your belly, leg, and left shoulder. “But…uh…the scars.”
“A nice reminder to never trust one of you ever again,” you sniff. “Ransom tried to protect me with his body but…” You look away and try to swallow the lump in your throat. “They had so many bullets, but he had only one life. The one he gave for me.”
“I’m…sorry,” Bucky offers. “I know you do not trust the agents, or me. All I can do is promise to protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“All the others said the very same thing. Right after Ransom begged the cops to help them. The moment he agreed to tell the agents everything about the men extorting him. Even after they got my husband killed.” You chuckle humorously. “I’m better off on my own than with them around.”
“Sam and I are not agents or cops. We are here to protect you, nothing else. We don’t need your statement or knowledge. All we want is to keep you alive and help you start a new life.”
 “You don’t get it!” You throw your hands up. “I don’t want a new life. I want the life back they stole from me. I want my husband. I want my bab—” You shake your head. “Whatever.” You shrug and blink the tears away. “No one cares about what I want.”
“I’ll be waiting for you downstairs,” Bucky softly says. His hands twitch and he wishes he could console you. “Take your time.”
“Get fucked,” you sniff and turn your back on Bucky, aware he saw your scars. “Never stare at me again.”
“What?”
“I know I’m not as pretty as the girls you bang. That’s not my fault,” you look down at your marred body. “It’s theirs…only theirs…”
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“Finally,” one of the agents barks in your direction. “Move. We don’t have all day, princess.” He says as you walk inside the interrogation room, Bucky, and Sam by your side. “Your bodyguards can leave.”
You glance at Bucky, furrowing your brows.
“No,” he glares at the man yelling at you. “Our mission is to protect Y/N at all costs. This includes protecting her from agents who got her husband killed.”
“That woman is lucky we don’t throw her into jail and lose the key,” the agent yells at Bucky.
“Stop that.” Sam snaps at the man. “She’s here on free terms. You have no evidence against her. Y/N is an innocent victim and a witness. If you do not treat her with respect, we are out of this.”
“You’ve got no right!” The man barks. He feels strong with a whole team crowding the room. He stares at you, a smirk on his lips. “She will tell us everything she remembers of the night our witness got killed.”
“Ransom,” you murmur.
“What?” The agent snaps. “I don’t care about your antics, or if you are on your period. We want your statement. Stop making a fuss.”
“His name was Hugh Ransom Drysdale,” you lift your head and look the man straight in the eyes. “He was an honest businessman, a loyal and loving husband, and he would’ve been a wonderful-,” you choke on your words, and need a moment to take a deep breath, “father. You will never call him your witness again.”
“I don’t fucking care!” He replies, making Sam scoff. “You will give us what we want and be a good girl.”
“I got that you don’t give a shit that you got my husband killed,” you growl. “But you won’t get me killed.” You smirk darkly. “I know nothing about my deceased husband’s business, and I don’t remember anything from the night he and my unborn child got killed because of you and the likes of you.”
The agent blanches. He starts to sweat when Bucky steps in front of you.
“We are done here,” Sam finally says. He looks at the agents blocking your way out of the room. “I suggest you get out of our way, or I’ll let my secret weapon take you down.”
“Secret weapon?” The agents murmur in unison. “What secret weapon?”
“Me—” Bucky shrugs his jacket off and hands it to you. He rolls his shoulders, ready to take all the agents down if he must.
“Yeah, you better let us walk out of that fucking room or the Winter Soldier will rip you a new one,” you snicker. “At least his muscle are good for something.”
“I’m not the—” Bucky shakes his head. This is not the time to tell the agents that he’s not the deadly super-soldier from back then. Something is fishy about the way they treat you and he's got no time to find out if his gut instinct is right.
“Agents, we are leaving now,” Sam tries one last time. “This is not the place nor the time to settle this.”
“Why not?” Bucky cracks his neck. “I could use the training, Sam.”
You press Bucky’s jacket to your chest. He looks ready to kill all the agents only to protect you, and you wonder if this is all for show to get you to cooperate with him or if he honestly cares for your well-being.
“This isn’t over,” the agent snaps at you. “One way or another we will get your statement. I’ll find a way to prove that you were involved in your husband’s shady deals.”
“Get fucked!” Bucky grunts and shoves the man out of his way. “Stop acting like she’s the villain here. You got her husband killed and never even apologized.”
“Bucky, let’s go,” Sam guides you toward the door, keeping an eye on the agents. “We are done here…”
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“Where are we?” You look around the new hideout they brought you to. “Why did we leave the other place? I slowly got used to cold showers and scratchy sheets.”
“We don’t know who to trust,” Sam answers honestly. “Bucky and I decided to change location. It’s safer this way.”
“Okay,” you nod. “Which room is mine?”
“Upstairs, the one in the middle. It’s right next to mine,” Bucky grabs your bags and walks upstairs.
“Uh-what happened to bird brain?” You furrow your brows. “Sam? Did you say something to him?”
“No,” Sam shakes his head. “How about you get settled in? I’ll store the groceries.” He places his hand on your shoulder. “Don’t worry, Y/N. We have everything we will need here.”
“What will we do now?” You sniffle. “I can’t hide here forever.”
“Our friends are working on a plan,” he says. “For now, all you have to do is to hang on. Bucky will protect you. This place is a fortress, and I will come around as often as I can.”
You nod. There is nothing else you can do. “I’m going to sleep a bit. It was a long day.”
“I’ll be here for the next few days,” Sam says. “We’ve got this handled.”
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“Do you need anything?” Bucky pokes his head into your room. “You should keep the blinds closed and the gun close by.” He steps inside the room. “I’m right through that door.” He points to the door connecting your rooms. “If you need me.”
“What will happen now?”
“Sam got this. He and the others have a plan to bring the people who are after you down,” he steps further inside the room to sit on the bed next to you. Bucky glances at the piece of paper in your hand. He swallows thickly realizing it’s an ultrasound picture. “I’m more the  kind of guy using my muscles.”
“He was a good man.”
“I know," Bucky softly says.
“I still don’t like you,” you murmur.
“Feeling’s mutual, doll.”
Part 4
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Tags in reblog.
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Last Updated: 2024-02-01
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Disclaimer: I am not the author of these stories, just sharing my favourite Johnathan Pine stories. Find the authors' links below. If you want your work removed, message me privately.
Legend: 〔E〕 ⇢ Erotic/Steamy | 〔F〕 ⇢ Fluff | 〔A〕 ⇢ Angst/Hurt 〔M〕 ⇢ Minor Angst/Hurt | 〔C〕 ⇢ Comfort | ♥︎ ⇢ Established Relationship | 𑁍 ⇢ Pregnancy/Children | 🚫 ⇢ Content Warning
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✑ Andy & Liv by ladyfloriographist • 〔F᜶M〕 •
✑ Cleaning Up by thezombieprostitute • 〔F᜶M〕 •
Summary: Something is budding between you and the new night manager at the hotel.
✑ Duty of Care by muddyorbsblr • 18+ • 〔A᜶C〕 •
Summary: "After Pine rescues you from a bloodthirsty mafia leader, he confesses his feelings for you while tending to your wounds."
✑ Holiday in Cario by iwillbeinmynest • 〔F〕 •
Summary: "Your friend invites you on a trip overseas but when she all but [ditches you] you find yourself in a rather uncomfortable position. Lucky for you the hotel [night manager] comes to your rescue."
✑ I Won't Let Go by holdmytesseract • 〔F᜶M〕 •
Summary: “Angela convinced Jonathan to attend a event - held by the Riverhouse, to take his mind off his lovesickness. Unbeknowst to him, you have a gig on exactly that event...”
✑ Leave Me Wanting More by the-purity-pen • 18+ • 〔E〕 •
Summary: Months of mutual pining finally culminate in a passionate encounter, but Jonathan makes sure to leave you wanting more…
✑ Mission Comes First, the by holymultiplefandomsbatman • 16+ • 〔A〕 • ♥︎ • 🚫 •
Summary: "Jonathan met you long before he came in contact with Angela Burr. When he goes undercover, you join him. Unfortunately, Roper catches and then tortures you to find out who sent you... while Jonathan has to stand by and watch, just like he promised you. The mission comes first, no matter what."
✑ Mr. Pine by sserpente • 18+ • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: "Imagine surprising… your boyfriend at his workplace,… a fancy hotel in Switzerland and getting him all worked up by repeatedly calling him Mr. Pine.
✑ My Dearest Diamond by five-miles-over • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: "After nearly two years… [you and Jonathan] rekindled your love via handwritten letters, until you [plan a] trip to London to see him. As he prepares [for your arrival], Jonathan reflects on his relationship with you …[carrying] out one last errand before you land."
✑ Paris by muddyorbsblr • 〔E᜶F〕 •
Summary: "After spending the last few hours pretending to be a loving couple while on a mission in Paris, Jonathan decides to lose himself in the fantasy of having you to himself."
✑ Pine by devilbat • 18+ • 〔E᜶F〕 •
Summary: After rescuing you from kidnappers, your father hires Jonathan to be your bodyguard allowing the two of you to grow close. One night, he breaks into your room, asking you to trust him, and although the attack left you wary of the world, you know one thing for sure: Jonathan will always keep you safe.
✑ Saviour by sserpente • 〔E᜶F᜶A〕 •
Prompt(s): "Imagine Jonathan Pine saving your life after you end up going after the same target."
✑ Secrets│Prt. II by strangerquinns • 18+ • 〔E᜶A〕 • ♥︎ •
Prompt(s): "So desperate for it, aren't you? Well, if you want it so bad you'd better start taking it." + "Look at you, grinding against everything, you're really desperate for it. Aren't you?"
✑ Sleepy by thehiddlebums • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
Prompt(s): "Your lover is snoring quietly and you can't help but giggle because it's so cute" + "Laughing at their messy hair in the morning."
✑ Slow Your Roll by ladyfluff • 〔C〕 • ♥︎ •
Summary: Exhausted and confined to the house after surgery, Jonathan shows you unwavering care and support on your shared journey to recovery.
✑ Summer in Majorca by smolvenger • 18+ • 〔F᜶A〕 •
Summary: "A trip to Spain alongside Roper and his crew had you cross paths with a man mysterious as he is kind and heroic as he is handsome. He goes by Thomas and then Andrew [but is] secretly named Jonathan. You find yourself blossoming feelings for him. [However,] it seems he has eyes for Jed and not you..."
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✑ A Complete Surprise by wickednerdery •
✑ After Glow by holdmytesseract • 〔C〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Buh-nana. by ladyfluff • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ • 𑁍 •
✑ Dirty Talk by fadingfics • 18+ • 〔E᜶A〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Good Enough to Eat
✑ Home Before You Know It│Prt. II by just-the-hiddles • 18+ • 〔F᜶A〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Life with You by lokispet-blog1 • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Not Alone by holdmytesseract • 〔C〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Paper Hearts and Glitter Glue by ladyfluff • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ • 𑁍 •
✑ Photographic Evidence by ladyfluff • 〔A〕 • ♡ •
✑ Short and Sweet Fuse by ladyfluff • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Sneaking Around by anonymousfiction211 • 16+ • 〔E᜶A〕 •
✑ So Much More by five-miles-over • 〔F᜶M〕 ��
✑ Step Outside by ladyfluff • 〔E᜶C〕 •
✑ Way You Look at Me, the by jewels2876 • 〔E〕 •
✑ Welcome to the World by holdmytesseract • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ • 𑁍 •
✑ Will You Marry Me? by ladyfluff • 〔F〕 • ♥︎ •
✑ Within the Strongbox of My Heart by frostbitten-written • 〔A〕 • ♡ •
✑ You by imagine-upon-a-star • 〔A〕 • ♥︎ •
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See Also: Navigation || Jonathan Pine Master Index
Authors: @anonymousfiction211 || @devilbat || @fadingfics || @five-miles-over || @frostbitten-written || @holdmytesseract || @holymultiplefandomsbatman || @imagine-upon-a-star || @iwillbeinmynest || @jewels2876 || @just-the-hiddles || @ladyfloriographist || @ladyfluff || @lokispet-blog1 || @muddyorbsblr || @smolvenger || @sserpente || @strangerquinns || @the-purity-pen || @thehiddlebums || @thezombieprostitute || @wickednerdery ||
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havenscribes · 6 days ago
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Only Warriors - Bodyguard!Bucky Barnes x Wakandan!Regent!Reader - Chapter Four
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Word Count: 1800 words
Warnings: some big feelings from reader, backstory is a little more fleshed out
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“This is insane.” I state, jumping from my seat with an expression on my face that’s nothing short of scandalized. The Winter Soldier, a man who is literally credited with over two dozen assassinations is supposed to keep me safe? And who knows when the Black Panther will have this situation rectified. She will never give Namor the surface world, and he only seems to get more passionate with each of their encounters. For the first time in my life, I think M’Baku may be onto something. My eyes search wildly around the room for someone to poke me or something and tell me Just kidding, we’re gonna let you off with a warning. No one does.
General Ayo is still seated, gripping her spear like it’s a snake that might wriggle away at any moment.
 “I mean, does anyone not realize that? I’m being turned over to a weapon of mass destruction, not to mention, one that has crossed treasonous lines in Wakanda multiple times? Have we forgotten that he is not to be trusted?”
M’Kathu’s wife stands slowly leaning on her staff, the deep lines in her face getting more pronounced as she frowns at my outspoken-ness. “Child, I hope you aren’t so proud as to challenge the opinion of the Queen of Wakanda.” Her staff was more of a less intimidating than a spear but held the same austerity because of its masterful craftsmanship. Carved from sturdy baobab and stained a deep, almost black brown, the staff displayed Wakandan proverbs and affirmations in gold winding around its surface. At the top, about six inches taller than her six foot stature, a sparkling blue-green tourmaline rests in the wood. 
I can hear the displeasure in her voice and it just sends me over the limit. “I hope you’re not voting on matters in which you don’t have a say,” I reply with a snarl. “Elder M’Kathu is the council member. Not you.”
Gasps fly around the room at my insolence, and I’m starting to understand why General Ayo called it a temper tantrum, but this whole situation has gotten way out of hand. One little attack from Namor and I have to be babysat by a serial killer?
“Y/n! Remember your place.” M’Baku barks a warning at me, widening his eyes as if to scold a child. I am really getting tired of that. I stare at him, refusing to look away until my Kimoyo beads buzz on my wrist. I lift them and tap on the middle bead that pulses with light, and a diaphanous, shimmering image shows.
The Queen is not in the best shape. Her hair is mussed and matted, and her face is gaunt, cheekbones sticking out like she hasn’t eaten for days. I don’t see any injuries, though, so I try to relax despite the fear that the worst is yet to come.  Her voice wavers a little before the signal is straightened out: “—Y/n? Can you— hear— Can you hear me?”
“Yes! Yes! Cousin, I can hear you! Are you alright?” A weight is lifted off of my shoulders with every word that comes through. She still has her jaw set in that determined way but her head’s on a swivel. The dark shadows on the walls behind her make me nervous. “Are you unharmed? Where is he keeping you?”
“I’m fine, Y/n. Namor’s military is keeping me in some kind of temple, and I haven’t seen anyone in hours.” 
Now that I see she’s in one piece, the anger that was bubbling up in me returns. “But you could contact the Dora, right? Not me?”
Shuri has the absolute nerve to roll her eyes at me, sighing in exasperation as if my anger is unfair. “I had specific instructions for the Dora were this situation to arise—” 
“We agreed that last night would be a solo mission. No Doras on the premises, only back up off-site. You promised me.” My lip trembles as my eyebrows harden into a tough line.
She purses her lips and I can tell she’s thinking hard about what to say to make this better. “General Ayo has seen too many ‘simple missions’ go south to let things get too far out of her reach. It wasn’t my first choice at all, Y/n. I was outvoted.” The council all bow their heads to avoid any more scrutiny from me. The sight makes my stomach curdle in bitterness.
“Did they also vote for me to be babysat by the Winter Soldier?” I spit. Just saying his name disgusts me.
“He’s not the Winter Soldier anymore. I made sure of that.” She replies self-assuredly, knowing that there aren’t many things I trust, but her genius is one of them. “He may not run around during all hours of the night brutally murdering anyone he sees, but he will always have that blood on his hands. The Winter Soldier’s title was earned.”
The room is silenced at this defiance because they’ve never seen us without the layers of custom and cordiality. Ever since we were girls we’d disagree and bicker about everything, but only now it’s become an apparent problem. Council members avery their eyes and hush, and General Ayo stands, driving her staff into the ground twice. The other Dora do it once, and turn on dimes to leave the hall. I walk behind them like a dog with its tail between its legs, Shuri’s hologram still hovering over my arm. As they turn the corner, I slip into one of the other rite rooms. 
This one is for marriages: Clean off-white walls, draped with purple linens and ferns hanging from high in the ceiling. Gold accents are interspersed throughout the room, and the morning sunlight glinting off them almost brightens my sour mood. I remember it like it was yesterday: this was the room in which my parents were married. Traditionally, children come after marriages in Wakanda, but the tribes never scrutinized my parents for their child. I was just regarded as a blessing that came a little early. Just like a wedding present or a pair of engagement rings, I was a physical manifestation of their love, and the flower girl. It was one of the happiest days of my life, and my favorite memories of them. 
Their silent joy that filled the spaces in their vows, my father’s tears as he looked upon his bride for the first time, and the slow dance with what felt like the whole world watching and smiling on them, these were the signs of love that I looked forward to. As years passed, they left to be with the ancestors, but that love never left. I feel it everytime I look in the mirror, and see the unique mixture of their features or when I stay in their old house and find letters to each other in the margins of textbooks and magazines. Sometimes I want that for myself, but who could give me love that was bigger than two people, but at the same time, so small that it could sit with each and every one of my cells?  And how could I love at all when I’m there for my country at all times?
“It’s just as beautiful as I remember.” Shuri’s slightly warped voice shakes me out of my memories. She was there at the wedding with me: I’d led her down the aisle, grateful for the attention to be mostly on the young princess.
“I haven’t come back in so long.” I replied, feeling a little guilty, like I‘d let my parents down. They could never stop raving about their wedding, and as soon as I lost them, I’d acted like it never happened at all. 
“You don’t have to do anything.” Shuri tries to reassure me, but this shame will take a little longer to get rid of. “Your parents loved you, Y/n. They would want you to be happy, and looking forward, not fearing the past, burying yourself in your work.”
I am happy, I think, as long as I keep moving. As much as they loved each other, they loved Wakanda even more, and they’d want me to protect its legacy. 
“I love them too, Shuri, and I am happy. I’m completely content with everything I have. But they loved Wakanda even more, and you saw how ecstatic they were when I started the ambassador’s course.”
Shuri rolls her eyes again, and I know this time it's because I’m missing her point. She sighs for what must be the millionth time before she starts: “They were excited because you’re brilliant, and you’ll do well at anything you choose. You could’ve been a footrest maker and still made them happy because you are their daughter. You are what they loved most in the world, and their love for your home was a product of that.” As much as I hate to admit it, she struck the right tones for the rest of my anger to melt. All that remained was the dull ache of missing someone who you can’t just call.
I sniff, suddenly regaining all of my bearings. “So you understand why my job is so important, yes? Why I need all the freedom in the world to do it and to not be held on a leash by some brute?”
“This is about keeping you safe. End of story.” I’m sure I’m working her nerves, running round in circles because I just can’t fathom it. There’s no way the Winter Soldier is taking me on as a charge. “Y/n, I trust that you are entirely capable of doing your job, but just imagine what could've happened if Bucky wasn’t there.” Eww, I hate that they’re on a first name basis. “If I’m accepting help, know that it’s truly needed and coming from a qualified source.”
I’m still not convinced. More and more, people from the council slide past the arched entrance to the hall, giving me a look before awkwardly running past. I give my cousin a look. She’s a thousand leagues under the sea, captured by some god with a lust for vengeance, and only thinking about the safety of her loved ones. Not only that, but pleading with me to let my guard down just a little, so that someone else can hold it up. It suddenly dawns on me that my choices also affect my loved ones, and I owe it to them to take good care of myself.
My lips twist to the corners in thought. What’s the worst that could happen? If he tries anything, the Dora will rip him to pieces. “Okay. I’ll meet with him.”
She smiles weakly, and I wince at her visible tiredness. “Thank Bast. You’re so stubborn I thought you’d lock him out of your suite as soon as you saw him.”
“He’s in my suite?”
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heyiwrotesomethings · 2 years ago
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yor x femaler reader. friends to lovers
so yor is on an undercover mission on ball?and is almost caught by the bodyguards of the target when she is dragged into an alley way,after being chased, by reader and she keeps her quiet before a gunshot is heard near them and they are found.
Things happen and yor is knocked out and bound in a ware house were they try to interrogate her.
KEY WORD: try
Reader goes and commits h0moc!d3
Ballroom Blitz
Yor Briar x She/Her Reader
A/N: I know this isn’t exactly what you asked for, but I was unsure how to best carry it out so I tried to make it a little easier for myself. I can promise you that Reader does commit homicide though! For added fun, I thought about the song The Ballroom Blitz by Sweet while writing this, so if anyone wants to give that a listen, feel free. Thanks for reading! Word Count: ~1,465
“The target is in the back of the room in the burgundy suit, see him?” (Y/n) murmured into the minuscule communications device tucked snuggly in her ear. She hid the movement of her lips behind the champagne flute in her hand.
“Yes, I see him.” She heard Yor reply.
(Y/n)’s eyes drifted to the opposite corner of the busy room to find Yor navigating between the dancing couples in her signature black dress.
“Use caution, those men around him are trained bodyguards.”
“What would I ever do without your help (Y/n), thank you.”
(Y/n) could hear the genuine gratitude in Yor’s voice and smiled behind the lip of her champagne flute.
“Any time, partner.”
(Y/n) stood vigil in her corner and watched Yor slowly make her way through the dancing and chatting aristocrats, politely denying any offers to dance along the way. She briefly turned her eyes back on the man in the back of the ballroom. Well, it was supposed to be brief, but looking at the man, she saw how nervous he looked as he nursed another glass of wine. A red rather than a white this time around, he must have finished off the previous bottle on his own. No one would think anything was amiss if he suddenly toppled over once Yor slipped the poison into his never-ending drink.
Yet his nervous behavior concerned (Y/n). Was he expecting something to go wrong for him tonight? Had someone tipped him off?
(Y/n) saw movement at the target’s left and peered over at the well-dressed, snooty looking woman stiffly walking over with a large binder in her hands. On closer inspection, (Y/n) noticed it was the guest book and silently cursed as the woman hung over the target’s shoulder and pointed out Yor from the crowd.
“Yor, we’ve been compromised. Retreat and regroup—“
“Everyone attack!” The man shrilled over the fanciful classical music that filled the ballroom, jabbing a desperate finger in Yor’s direction as he practically crawled over the woman with the guest book to run away with his hands raised to the sky.
The bodyguards and even more men who had been disguised as waitstaff leapt into action and began lunging and shooting at Yor, flinging the ballroom into chaos.
“Shit—” (Y/n) pulled her gun free from its hiding place and aimed it at the ceiling, firing off a single shot. “Everyone who doesn’t have a stake in this fight, get down!”
Most of the people fell to the ground in an array of screams and shouts before they began scuttling away like cockroaches. How undignified. For some reason the small orchestra was still playing though, and for that (Y/n) had to give props. That, and they seemed to switch to something more energetic to match the hectic scene.
“(Y/n), go after the target!” Yor yelled into her mic, making (Y/n) wince, “I’ll hold them off here.”
(Y/n) wanted to disagree, but they really didn’t have another choice. If their target got away, then that wiggly little mole would never be seen again.
“Don’t die on me, Briar!” (Y/n) warned, dodging a bodyguard’s punch before elbowing him hard in the stomach and sending him to the ground with the bridge of his nose crushed into his skull.
Yor sent her a wink from the other side of the ballroom as she sliced another man’s jugular open while dodging a spray of bullets. It was strangely artistic, almost like a dance with the music still playing, a very bloody, violent dance.
But now wasn’t the time for (Y/n) to ogle her best friend, she had a cowardly little mole to catch up with.
She disposed of a few more bodyguards on the way out of the ballroom and kicked the double doors open, catching sight of the target as he scrambled around the corner. She ran after him and the ballroom’s double doors swung shut with a heavy thud, muffling the music and gunfire within.
After littering the halls with a few more bodies, she had cornered the target. She almost felt bad for the man sniveling and cowering beneath the elegantly carved mahogany table and red velvet table cloth, an expensive antique vase smashed against the ground and scattered around him in his hurry to hide underneath.
“Please, don’t kill me! I’ll pay you triple what you’re being paid!” He pleaded, eyes red from crying.
“Afraid I can’t do that, sir. This is the risk you run when you deal in selling sensitive information,” (Y/n) reloaded her gun and took aim, “No amount of money can save you when you piss off all the wrong people.”
She ended it with one shot, putting the man out of his misery quickly and only taking the time to check that he was truly dead before rushing back down the maze of hallways back to the ballroom to assist Yor in anyway she could.
“Yor, I eliminated the target. Retreat.” (Y/n) spoke through the communicator. She waited a few moments, but heard no reply, “Yor, respond… Yor? Shit.”
(Y/n) picked up the pace, becoming more worried the closer she got without word from Yor. She couldn’t hear the orchestra anymore, they must have wised-up and split. She slammed the doors open and her eyes were immediately drawn to the middle of the room where Yor was struggling beneath a mob of bodyguards while one stood in front of the dog pile, breathing heavily.
They all looked in pretty bad shape, Yor had given them hell, but they had overpowered her with their numbers and the one left standing was fumbling with his gun, spilling bullets onto the floor as he hurriedly tried to reload while his comrades yelled at him to work faster while trying to keep Yor down.
(Y/n) trained her gun on the man, “Drop it!” She warned.
But the man only tried to load it faster, earning him one of (Y/n)’s own bullets.
“(Y/n)!” Yor called out.
She looked happy enough to see her, but the weight of the people on top of her made her voice sound strained and (Y/n) could already see a bruise forming on her cheek and that made her furious. The time for offering warnings was over, now they had to pay.
(Y/n) fired off the last of her bullets to take out a good portion of the pile before running up on them and striking another man with the barrel of her gun with incredible speed and accuracy. It was then that the rest of the dog pile caught up with what was happening and tried to retaliate by fighting back or putting more pressure on Yor, but (Y/n) was swift in painting the ballroom floors with their blood. So swift in fact, that she hadn’t realized she had moved at all, the only thing waking her from her trance of violence was Yor’s hug.
“(Y/n), it’s over! You did it!” She beamed.
“I… did it. I did it—!“ (Y/n) cupped Yor’s face in her bloody hands, “Are you okay? What am I saying, of course you aren’t, you’re all bruised and scratched up!”
Yor didn’t seem bothered by (Y/n)’s bloodied hands at all. In fact, she cupped her own hands over them to press them even closer to her face.
“I’m okay,” she assured chipperly, “you don’t need to worry so much!”
“I love you, so of course I’m going to worry if you’re hurt! No matter how superficial the wound—“ (Y/n) stopped abruptly, had she really just said that out loud? Looking at Yor’s expression, she definitely did.
In the past, she had let a few things slip that she had later fretted over, a few actions too, but Yor was mercifully oblivious. However, (Y/n) had never flat out told her she loved her before! Even Yor couldn’t be that oblivious, not while they stood so close together with their fingers threaded together against her cheeks.
“I- I mean—“
“I love you too!” Yor blurted passionately despite how flustered she appeared, “I was worried about you going after the target alone, and when we get separate assignments I get really worried too! I can’t go to sleep until I hear you enter the apartment.”
“You too?!”
“Yeah!”
They heard the sound of someone’s throat clearing and they leapt into defensive stances until they realized it was the orchestra organizing themselves back into position. The conductor led the orchestra into the first few notes of a song before craning their head back to give the women an encouraging nod. An unflappable bunch of musicians to say the least.
“Want to dance?” (Y/n) asked.
Yor’s eyes shimmered and she nodded excitedly, bringing (Y/n)’s hands to her waist before eagerly bringing her arms around her neck as the music began to pick up.
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dottieisdotting · 2 months ago
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Patch,pregnancy and proposals - S.J.Y
requested?: no
pairing(s):gangsta!Jake x AFAB!Pregnant! reader - but gender isn't specified 
Genre: fluff, angst (if you squint)
warning(s): a few injuries, blood mentions, pregnancy
Summary:Jaeyun comes home all injured and you scold him but still patch him up,like always
word count: 522
A/N: another one from my list of my one writings, again I am still taking requests as always. I have no idea where this was going. I believe ive done Jake dirty in this. Make sure you are eating and drinking well, have a good night/day/ morning and I hope you enjoy! Mwah!.
Another day, another mission. You sat at home in Jaeyun’s manor off the outskirts of Seoul picking at the skin around your fingers waiting very anxiously for your boyfriend to waltz through the arched entrance. ”C’mon,c’mon”  you say impatiently over and over until you see bright headlights shining through the windows. 
You were relieved but also scared to see what state he’d come back to you this time. You bite your lip as the door opens and in walks Jake, bloodied and bruised with his bodyguards behind him. He sees you and his smile widens and he waltzes over to you, ushering his bodyguards away
”hi baby” He says as he sits down on the couch. You shake your head before walking off to find a first aid kit. You run into a housekeeper and she leads you to one, you thank her and make your way back to your boyfriend.
You make him sit as you tend to his wounds, not being as careful as you should. He could tell you were pissed. ”baby, why are you mad at me?”  you sigh and don't say anything whilst you clean under his eye and put cream on it.
”I'm upset because you come home every week with new injuries, Jaeyun. I'm worried about you, I'm worried that you'll get yourself killed before you get a chance to meet your daughter” his eyes soften and he reaches over to hold your growing bump
”I'm so sorry baby, I'm so,so sorry” He kneels before you, resting his forehead on the bump before kissing it. ”I promise I'll get better for our baby girl, I swear to you, my love.” you feel your heartbeat a little faster when he kneels and promises that he’d get better
You believe him and run your hands through his hair. ”I promise” he whispers and stands up. You put a had on his bruised cheek and rub it gently. He leans down to connect your lips, hands on either side of your bump, rubbing it. 
Jake was truly in love with you and couldn't wait to be a father, especially to a little girl. He’d sworn to you that he would stop getting hurt and step down from his position as head of the ‘Sim mafia clan’ and give the title to his older brother, Heeseung. 
Your lips meet in a sweet kiss,savouring it like it was the last. Jaeyun had enough of seeing you worried every other night. He loved you and wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. He pulls away and clears his throat.
Jaeyun gets down on one knee and presents you with his great grandmother's ring, a family heirloom. ”---, i love you with all my heart and i promise to keep loving you until my last breath. I want us to be happy and one. Will you do me the honours of becoming my wife, will you marry me?” 
You look at him with teary eyes, his impromptu proposal and your messy hormones make you say yes instantly. He slips the ring onto your finger and kisses it
A/N: I have no idea what this is and I kinda hate it . I was shattered (tired) when writing this. Idk what to do with it. It will stay as a one shot and I promise to write better for Jake in the future. MY REQUESTS ARE ALWAYS OPEN!
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iliiuan · 2 years ago
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I'm to the point where Gawyn actually makes a decision, and a lot of the criticism he receives seems misplaced to me. He makes shit choices because he has shit information because the women he trusts to provide him with information refuse to communicate. Elayne, then Siuan, and then Egwene all misused him.
He followed Elayne to Tar Valon and undertook his training there, doing his duty without complaint. Then his sister vanished. His mom freaked out. He worried, and also BLAMED HIMSELF.
When Elayne returned, I don't remember if she even bothered to say 'hi' in his direction before running off again. Now he's really worried. Siuan won't tell him anything. Min won't tell him anything. He's trying to keep Morgase from blowing a gasket. Galad's joining the Whitecloaks. And then... there's a coup. Siuan, having given him exactly zero reason to trust or back her, he knew Elaida as a respected advisor, and he thought that her ascent was legal. He also thought that he would be able to get the information he wanted out of Siuan. All of this makes sense.
Then he stumbles. The change in Amyrlin doesn't fix his problems. He still doesn't know where his sister is. He lets Min rescue Siuan (and Leane and Logain). I don't remember his reasoning, probably because it wasn't very good. This particular point was all him.
Now he has his Younglings, and Elaida wants him disappeared, and he's sent on the mission to scoop up the Dragon Reborn for Elaida. He's heard rumor that Rand murdered his mom, maybe his sister as well, and he has a bloodlust for revenge. All of this is really reasonable, frankly. Then he runs into Egwene.
Egwene has the power to divert Gawyn from his path of doom, but she instead chooses to ignore him (in the political sense) and withhold information from him, while also sort of using him as a spy but not very well. Instead of using her rather impressive people skills to push him onto a healthy path, she uses him for some snogging and makes him promise not to harm the person who is supposed to save the world. She doesn't tell him where Elayne is. She doesn't give him any evidence about Morgase beyond being a character witness for Rand. She doesn't explain about the fractured tower, nor emphasize her allegiance to the rebel faction. She makes no effort whatsoever to sway him to her side, to even try to convince him to abandon Elaida. She doesn't even respect him enough to read him in as a spy for her. She also seems to think that a low-level soldier will be able to protect Rand from Aes Sedai. You know the ones, the women who can channel? Yeah. Not fucking likely.
So off he goes, swimming with his misperceptions, making ever more desperate decisions, experiencing increasing trauma and stress, until he finally comes to his senses and seeks out Egwene's side.
What I'm really trying to emphasize here is that Egwene could have had him on her side beginning in Cairhien, but she couldn't be arsed.
So when he goes back to her, and people criticize her for being with his loser self, my heart deflates a little. He deserves so much better. Even if he is a loser.
I also find the claim that Gawyn exemplifies toxic masculinity to be backwards. If anything, Elayne and Egwene are the ones displaying the traits usually associated with toxic masculinity: arrogance, withholding information or training, refusing help and then being upset when the helper isn't around, seeing the opposite sex as deficient (this one is only Egwene), acting invincible/infallible, not listening to good advice because of the gender of the person giving it ... you see? Don't be fooled by his masculine-coded job of bodyguard; everything else about the gender roles in his world are reversed from ours. He has a prescribed support role, and when he can't fulfill it, he becomes lost. He doesn't get to determine his destiny, so he doesn't train in how to make life decisions, but rather in how to follow orders and to walk his prescribed path.
So much about Gawyn's journey matches with the experience of women in our world who were raised and trained to be homemakers, but then had to claw their way out of abusive relationships, or find meaning after infertility, or push forward as a single parent after being abandoned by a husband or family.
So yeah, I have a really difficult time accepting a lot of the scorn he gets, especially from supposedly feminist critique.
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fictionfromthevoid · 5 months ago
Text
Headcanons - Saving Anakin Skywalker
this is part 2 of my Anakin Skywalker best friend Headcanons x so make sure to read them.
when he first starts having nightmares about Padme dying you are on a mission, so you learn about it only after he has talked to Yoda and Obi-Wan
since you know about their marriage he can talk to you a lot more freely
You don't necessarily believe that the nightmares are visions, because no Naboo with access to medical care has died in childbirth in like a thousand years
But you also know that telling him that would be of no use because he is convinced of it and terribly afraid
So you take his fear seriously and promise to help him keep Padme safe
This takes a huge weight off his chest because you are the first one to really be there for him. Obi-Wan tells him to keep his feelings under better control and Yoda to be happy that people become one with the force. 2 things that did nothing to soothe his unbearable fear.
So when you tell him that you understand his fear and are there to help him he will hug you and thank you because he is so relieved that he isn't alone anymore
When he has nightmares and you two are on a mission, Padme is away, doesn't take them seriously or he just doesn't want to bother and disturb her constantly he often ends up at your door.
You either talk it out over a warm cup of tea, tears and hugs or you hold him until he has fallen asleep again. When he's asleep you try your best to keep nightmares away from him with the help of the force, often losing sleep yourself in the process
You do research about death in childbirth and use the temple achieves to learn about force healing and other ways to prevent death through the force
You keep him updated with your findings. This makes him really feel like you care and assures him that you are actually trying to help him and therefore strengthens his trust in you
When Anakin is assigned Palpatine's bodyguard you are alarmed. Anakin has told you that he convinced him to kill Doku and wanted him to leave Obi-Wan behind and since then you don't trust the Chancellor one bit.
You have no idea what his intentions are but you are just suspicious of him.
So you always ask him what they have talked about and try to set his mind right when you spot manipulation against the Jedi
Palpatine tries to break Anakins trust in you
So when Anakin becomes distant you confront him and ask him what Palpatine has told him
You talk it out and he goes out of the conversation with more trust in you than ever and a slight wariness against Palpatine
So when he is waiting in the council chamber for Windu and the other council members to take hold of Sidious he asks you to wait with him because he knows that he might not be able to stay there on his own
You are there to comfort him and help him detangle his thoughts
He tells you about how Palpatine might be his only chance of saving Padme, but you make him understand that it is not improbable that the chancellor put the visions in his mind in the first place
if he was able to conceal himself from the Jedi order for so long and presumably has the power to manipulate the Midi-Chlorians he might as well manipulate Anakin's mind
You keep him in the temple long enough for Windu to be able to kill Palpatine
When you feel the disturbance in the force as the darkness lifts from the galaxy you hold him as he grieves
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pxrplebxtterfly · 2 years ago
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Did I Lie?(2/?)
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18+
Pairings: Lloyd Hansen x fem reader
Warnings: SMUT, kissing, making out, nudity, oral sex (f receiving), (d)ubcon kinda?, somnophilia
Summary: Lloyd’s been gone for work and now he’s finally back. It seems you’ve both missed each other.
Word count: 2.6k
Notes: Okay so here’s another part, hehe. This fic is in SECOND PERSON POV!!! The next part will for sure be nasty I promise! Sorry for making you guys wait. Anyways, have fun reading!
❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀
You haven’t seen him in a few days. Some of his team members said he was gone on a mission when you asked. You didn’t know why you were asking, it’s not like you missed him. You just missed his fingers, and his lips, and the way he smelled, and his wit, and his charm. Okay maybe you missed him a little bit.
Maybe you missed him because since he left the morning after that night in the limo, you hadn’t talked to anyone. Besides the casual chat that comes with “here’s your meal” and “here’s the TV remote” from bodyguards and Lloyd’s team members, you hadn’t had a conversation with anyone. It’s not like Lloyd and you had full blown, deep discussions, but they were more engaging than the small talk you were subject to.
You’re enjoying a lollipop you snuck from Lloyd’s stash in the kitchen when you hear the front door open. You hear bags drop and Lloyd’s loud voice echoing through the long hallways. You decide not to leave the room because he sounds agitated. You place the lollipop in your mouth and grab a glass of water. Before you’re able to remove the lollipop and take a sip, someone stomps into the room.
It’s Lloyd. He pauses across the wide island when he sees it’s you in the kitchen, and not one of his maids or chef. He’s wearing a tight polo shirt with fitted slacks, accentuating every flex and movement of his muscles. 
“Is that one of my suckers?” he asks, brows furrowed and taken aback.
“No-wah” you say quietly, the candy making it hard to talk.
“You’re lying” he says teasingly and walks towards you. Stepping forwards until he has you cornered against the counter, his eyes don’t ever look away. He’s in front of you now, huge chest and shoulders eye-level with your face. 
As soon as Lloyd approaches you he feels your nervous energy. It’s something he feeds off of. The way your eyes go big and your breath catches in your throat, makes him buzz with excitement. 
“Let me have a taste” he says and wraps his finger around the stick of the sucker. It pops out of your mouth, shiny with your spit. He slowly places it on his tongue and takes it into his mouth. 
He watches as your mouth drops open a bit in awe. Lloyd chuckles at your reaction and takes the lollipop back out. It’s covered in his spit and all you can think about is how badly you want his spit down your throat. He pushes the sucker past your lips and you graciously receive it.
“Good girl” he tells you as he studies your tongue and lips. 
As you suck on the candy, he can’t draw his attention from your face. He’s so hypnotized by your beauty that he reaches up and brushes strands of your hair behind your ears. 
You don’t bother to question him, you just stare up at him with doe eyes, willing to let him do whatever he wants to you.
“I missed you” he whispers, and trails his hand down from your cheek to the base of your neck.
Without any guard up you take the sucker out of your mouth and whisper back, “I missed you too”
Neither of you miss a beat and attach lips like magnets to a fridge. His lips are soft and engulf yours. He sucks at your bottom lip each time you pull back, and pushes a small amount of tongue into your mouth. 
He tastes like cherry from the lollipop and you're reminded it’s still in your hand. You place it on the counter beside you, freeing up your hands. You put your palms on his lower back and curve them upwards towards his shoulders, soothing his burning skin. He keeps one hand around the base of your throat and the other grabs your ass. 
You moan at the sensation of your ass cheeks being fondled and at his fingers kneading your flesh. He pulls you towards his body and you instantly feel his hard cock straining in his pants, against your stomach. 
As soon as you feel him, you also pull him closer to you by his waist. This stirs something in Lloyd and he ruts up against you. He moves his lips from your mouth to your jaw, ear and neck. You instantly start to breathe harder and whimper. The way he sucks at your skin, grinds into your lower stomach, and grabs at your ass has you overwhelmed with pleasure. 
But as soon as it starts, it ends.
“Fuck” he moans as he pulls his lips off your neck. He shifts his body back from yours and you let out a sigh, trying to catch your breath. You look down at his bulge and see a big wet spot on his pants where the tip of his cock is. You have the same wet spot on your t-shirt. He was leaking pre-cum like a waterfall. 
You’re in shock at how fast things just happened. It seems you both really did miss each other. There’s silence between you two as you stare anywhere else, besides him. You put your hand over your mouth, still stunned at your behavior. He chuckles at your reaction and it causes you to look up at him.
You still don’t say anything but Lloyd can see in your eyes that you want to know why he stopped. He decides to give you some context so you’re not blaming yourself.
“I’ve got to go kill some one for fucking up my mission” he says, “I’ll see you at dinner.”
❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀
You sit across from him at a long dining table for dinner. You don’t really think about what you’re eating, you’re mostly thinking about how much you want to ride his mustache. But not tonight. You’re tired and just want to curl up in your California king size bed with no interruption. 
When dinner is finished, Lloyd walks you back to your room. He follows you in, trailing right behind you, looking down, watching your hips sway. He sits down on the side of your bed and watches you dig through your belongings in the top drawer of your dresser. 
He realizes he didn’t ask his men to grab anything but the essentials. He’s hoping they didn’t fuck you over too bad, but just in case, he asks, “Do you have any pajamas?”
You turn around and say, “Not any nice ones, your guys only packed my flimsy, cheap stuff that doesn't provide any warmth. It doesn’t really make a difference if they’re on or off”
He completely forgets about his concern for your personal items and raises an eyebrow in curiosity, picturing you sleeping in bed completely naked. The things he would do to you. 
You catch the glimmer in his eyes and smile. You reach behind you and pick up a set of silky little pajama bottoms and a matching button up shirt from the drawer.
You hold the pajamas close to your chest and scoff when Lloyd hasn’t left the room, turned around, or at least closed his eyes. 
“Close your eyes,” you say.
Defiance washes over him when he sees the flirty way you tell him not to look. He decides to test the water and says, “I wanna watch you” 
You’re struck by his boldness and blush. It turns you on, the way he wants to see you undress. You already know you’ll let him watch, but you don’t want him to think you’re that easy. You pause for a few moments, pretending to think it over in your mind. With intent to seduce you say, “Okay” softly.
Slowly you hook your fingers on the hem of your t-shirt and begin to lift it over your head. With every patch of skin that’s revealed, Lloyd’s heart beats faster. Once it’s off, you throw it behind you on the dresser. 
Lloyd bites his lip when he sees your tits being held by your bra. He feels himself grow harder by the second as you continue to undress.
You pull your shorts down your legs and he examines your body. Eyes drinking you and all your radiance in. You decide to tease him a bit, so when you unclasp your bra and let it fall off your chest and shoulders, you throw it at him. 
Lloyd can’t help the erection you’re giving him and looks at you with hunger. Seeing the way you stand there so open and vulnerable for him, being such a good listener, makes him crazy. He just wants to put his mouth all over your gorgeous tits and worship them like you deserve.
You see what you do to him too, and would love to see just how far things could go except you’re tired. You slip your pajama shorts on and he groans when you begin to button your shirt, covering up your breasts. You laugh at his display of desire and lean down to his level. You purposefully crawl over him to get into bed.
“You’re so pretty” he whispers seductively, sitting closer to you, trying not to let this moment slip away.
“Lloyd,” you warn with very little sternness.
He ignores you and grabs your hand. He begins to kiss your hand and then up your arm. His mustache tickles you and you twitch and giggle at the sensation. 
“I’m tired” you say with some distress. Even though he’s turning you on, sleep is creeping up on you.
He slows his kisses and releases your hand, understanding where you’re coming from. He’s just as tired, if not more, but the electricity he feels when he sees you, has him fully charged and ready to go. 
The both of you say goodnight and he leaves you to sleep. 
❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀
Lloyd can’t sleep. He wrestles with his pillows and duvet trying to find peace. Nothing is helping his body unwind. All he can think about is you. The way you act so touch starved anytime he initiates physical contact. He loves how flustered and nervous you get around him too. 
He can’t help but think of your blushing cheeks and wide eyes. While rolling in his bed, restless, he wishes to do a number of things to you.
Then, the desperation becomes too much for him to handle.
He almost slips as he hurls himself out of bed. He walks to your room, breath heavy from anticipation and anxiety. 
He opens the door to your room. The lights are off, but the moonlight shines in through a grand window, illuminating you on the bed. You’ve tossed off your comforter, feeling more free to move without it. 
You’re in a deep sleep, completely unaware of Lloyd's presence. 
He stalks around the room, just watching you breathe. You were right, those pajamas hardly covered anything.
You look so enticing, all vulnerable and laid out just for him. He can’t take it any longer and moves towards you. Slowly, and carefully he lays on his stomach, in between your legs. You don’t even stir.
Lloyd, seeing that you didn’t shift due to his movement, decides to come closer. He army-crawls towards you, his face hovering over your clothed pussy.
It makes him ravenous, just to picture it beneath the thin layers of your underwear and pajama shorts. He wants to see you, needs to see you. 
He pushes your pajama shorts aside with his finger and almost moans at the outline of your cunt through your underwear. 
A thought comes to him as he stares at you. 
He wants to taste you. 
He puts his face closer to you until his nose is brushing your clit. He timidly licks you through your underwear. He looks up at your face, making sure he’s not disturbing you. You don’t even twitch. 
He licks you through the underwear again. When you stay still he nuzzles his mustache into your core and breathes you in. 
He draws back when he feels you shift slightly. Your eyes stay closed, you just shift a little further into him. 
He takes this as an invitation to feast. He uses another finger to delicately pull your panties to the side with your pajama shorts. In the moonlight, he can see your slick, coating your pussy. He can’t help himself when he spreads your folds and sticks his tongue in your hole. He flicks his tongue as he exits and is immediately addicted to the taste of you. 
He begins to drag his soft tongue up and down, indulging in your sweet taste. His mustache and nose bump at your clit and you begin to stir. 
Lloyd ignores it. He’s so focused on drowning in your cunt he just wraps his arms around your thighs and pulls you closer.
This makes you wake up. You think you’re dreaming at first, watching as Lloyd Hansen buries himself in between your thighs. Then you realize that this feels too real, that he’s actually going down on you. 
The realization turns you on so much, you arch your back and push your pelvis forwards. His eyes flash up to look at you, and they sparkle when he sees that you’re watching. 
When he sees you’re awake and watching him, it only makes him want you more. His back and wide shoulders keep your legs spread and you watch as he devours you. 
He’s sloppily kissing and sucking all over your aching cunt. Slurping at your hole and moaning as you buck your hips into his face, allowing him to get deeper.
His tongue prods at you while his nose smushes your clit. This feels so good that you grab a fist full of his hair and grind onto his tongue.
You gasp and moan at his skill and he hums into you. He sucks at your clit and your legs begin to shake. He looks up at you while you whine from his tortuous talent at eating you out. The overwhelming pleasure he’s giving you has your thighs clenched around his head. He tightens his grip on your legs and begins to pry them apart so he can continue his work. 
He doesn’t let up and it has you teetering off the edge of coming.
And then you do. You come all over his beautiful mouth with a soaring, world-warping orgasm. Lloyd continues drinking in everything you give to him until you're pushing his head off of you. He finally stops and just lays in between your legs, looking at you. 
You have no words for him. All you do is pull your knees to your chest, throw your head back and cover your face with your hands. The orgasm he just gave you has changed your life and you’re struggling to recover from all the oxytocin flooding your veins. 
You’re sensitive and jump when you feel him kiss your achy cunt and the back of your trembling thighs. 
You let out some curse words, unable to articulate anything more. 
Finally you’ve come down from your high and he’s crawled into bed beside you, kissing the top of your head softly. He kisses your temple one final time and then pulls you into his chest.
You’re in shock that he doesn’t want anything in return, because you are more than happy and willing to help him out. Then you think back to earlier when he had gotten off the bed to come join you under the covers. You remember seeing a damp spot on his underwear, and that he wasn’t fully hard. It hits you that he must’ve come at the same time as you. 
You’re flattered, impressed and a little turned on by it. You realize that Lloyd is so good at going down on you, that you didn’t even see he was also getting off. You bite your lip in amusement and scoot in closer to him. You’re so glad he’s back.
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schrijverr · 6 months ago
Text
Tomorrow Will Be Different 20
Chapter 20 out of 26
Instead of managing to meet up later, Oliver has to keep running with Akio. The only way to keep them safe is to go public with Oliver being alive, leaving him back home in charge of Akio, while Tatsu and Maseo are still in the wind
In this chapter, Diggle and Oliver infiltrate the Yakuza ship to get Tatsu and Maseo back.
On AO3.
Ships: none
Warnings: captivity, violence, minor character death
~~~
Chapter 20: The Rescue
Oliver is worrying he might have made a mistake in accepting Diggle’s help. The whole way back to their hotel room is silent and Diggle says nothing as Oliver takes the first shower.
The blood has soaked through his clothes and stained his skin. They’ll have to burn the clothes and maybe even the towels he’ll use. Just to be safe.
Killing someone again after a few weeks is oddly normal. There have been periods where he didn’t kill anyone these past few years, but it was always an option should it be necessary. He hasn’t let go of the mindset since returning to Starling, knowing he’ll do what he must to keep Akio safe. To complete his mission.
He hadn’t even thought twice about killing the Yakuza. He was useful for information, but useless as a loose end. It wasn’t until Diggle questioned it that he even realized that most people don’t consider murder an easy solution.
Maybe Diggle is in the other room right now, calling whoever he need to call to get Oliver arrested and locked up. Or maybe he’ll have the decency to wait until they get Tatsu and Maseo back, he looked like he meant it when he said he cares about Akio.
Whatever the case may be, Oliver is pretty sure that even if Diggle doesn’t sell him out, he’ll resign the second they’re home.
The thought makes him weirdly sad.
He doesn’t need Diggle’s protection, doesn’t need a bodyguard. And this arrangement is only so that they have a line to Lyla until the Yamashiro family is reunited. Diggle was never expected to hang around after.
But Oliver has grown fond of the man. He’s reliable, steady and silent. Sure, he has his opinions and Oliver knows when he disagrees, but he never seems to expect something from Oliver like everyone else in his life does. A part of Oliver has started to consider Diggle a friend and the feeling appeared to be mutual. Until Oliver fucked it up.
God, how will he ever integrate back home when he manages to freak out a hardened soldier with his violence? He never wanted to take this part home with him. However, it’s a permanent part of him and he can’t seem to let go. The violence feels a lot like safety.
Maybe he should just stay gone.
The note he left for Akio to give to his mom and sister told them he had to leave for a bit to fully leave this ordeal behind him and that he didn’t want to go through the pain of saying goodbye when he’d be back soon and to not worry about him. It’ll break their hearts if he never came home and Akio will be pissed if he breaks his promise.
However, if he has Tatsu and Maseo then Akio doesn’t need him anymore and Thea and mom will be okay to go back to how everything has been for the past three years without him dragging them into his darkness.
He knows he’ll never be able to do that to them. That his death hurt so much the first time and that disappearing now will only make everything worse, but the thought does tempt him as he tries to rid his body of the last traces of the life he took earlier.
If he goes home, he’ll need an outlet for all this darkness inside him. A month without violence and it jumps out so very easily. What if he doesn’t have a justifiable target next time?
Oliver doesn’t have time to look for answers now. He has to face Diggle and figure out a plan to rescue Tatsu and Maseo before they disappear into the Yakuza. He can put figuring out how to deal with the darkness on the same pile as figuring out what to do with his life after Akio is home. Those are both problems for future him.
He shuts off the water and towels down, not looking at himself in the mirror as he slips into new clothes, bundling the old ones in the towel and tying it up. Problem for after he talks to Diggle.
Tentatively he exits the bathroom, unsure what he expects to find.
Whatever it was, he’s sure it wasn’t Diggle sitting back in a chair, flipping through a magazine, looking up with mild interest when he enters.
“Feel better after the shower?” Diggle asks.
“More human,” Oliver says, which is more honest than he’s been with anyone in a while, though cryptic enough to feel comfortable.
Diggle nods and Oliver gets the feeling he knows more than Oliver would like him too. “You’re planning on burning those?” he asks, gesturing to the clothes in Oliver’s hands.
“Uhm, yeah.”
“Let me get my stuff ready to shower so you can take my shirt with you as well. Got a stain on it.”
Oliver is thrown completely by Diggle’s attitude. He expected anger, accusations. Not this unnatural blasé demeanor. He has no clue how to react, so he awkwardly stumbles: “Of course. Yeah. Smart.”
If he weren’t so confused and expecting different, he might say that Diggle is laughing at him when he says that, though does a good attempt at hiding it. However, that seems very out of place. Well, more out of place. So, he must be wrong.
Seconds later he finds himself alone in their room with more clothes in his hands. He just stands there for a few seconds, before jolting into action. He has clothes to burn, a task to complete, he can focus on that.
When he returns, Diggle has showered and made himself comfortable on one of the beds in clean clothes. He doesn’t look ready to sleep, instead leaning against the head board as he sits with his legs crossed. Waiting for Oliver, he observes.
Oliver tenses at that and hesitates as he closes the door behind him. He moves through the room, ignoring Diggle as he gets ready for bed, hoping the lack of acknowledgment will mean no conversation.
No such luck.
“So, you never really answered my question earlier,” Diggle says after a beat of silence. “Was the plan always to kill that guy?”
For a moment, Oliver considers lying to him, but he feels that will make it worse. He doesn’t meet Diggle’s eyes as he answers: “Yes.”
Diggle hums thoughtfully as Oliver awaits his reaction with tense muscles. When nothing comes, he asks: “Is that a problem?”
“I would’ve preferred, if you hadn’t done that,” Diggle answers and Oliver thinks, well, here it is, the other shoe. Then Diggle surprises him: “But it’s an off record A.R.G.U.S. mission, it’s not too much of a surprise. Just came out of nowhere. If we’re working together, I’d like to know the plan beforehand. You can’t just keep running off and tell me the bare minimum.”
“Oh.” That’s a more surprising grievance. Oliver is used to Amanda and Maseo, neither of which are fond things that aren’t need to know. Even Slade preferred to leave him somewhere, he still remembers when he stepped on the landmine and fully thought Slade had abandoned him, until he came rushing back.
“Look, I don’t know how long you’ve been working for Waller and what I hear isn’t great, but I’m not some lackey, I volunteered to come here as a partner,” Diggle says. “If we’re working together, you need to tell me the plan and let me have input. You might not be used to it, but I’m going to make sure to keep the body count to a minimum.”
“People will still die,” Oliver points out, because it’s true and he doesn’t know how to respond to any other part of what Diggle has said.
“I know, Oliver. I’m not an idiot,” Diggle deadpans. “You’re fighting a war, man, but you haven’t been home. Not really. You have no idea what war does to you. How it scrapes off little pieces of your soul. And you need someone to remind you of who you are. Not this thing you’re becoming. Or you’ll never come home. Not fully.”
Maybe that mutual feeling of friendship is still in tact. Oliver just has to not mess this up.
The thought of not being in control is unpleasant, but not having Diggle as back up sounds equally bad. So, he says: “I’ll still have the final call.” Then he tries to show that he is glad for Diggle’s support. “But I’d like your input.”
Diggle studies his face, then nods firmly. “We’ll start planning tomorrow. I’m beat.”
“Of course,” Oliver agrees. He himself is going to be up for quite a bit, he and sleep aren’t the best friends, but he’s not going to keep Diggle from resting.
He lies in bed and starts mapping it all out, so he’ll have a draft to present to Diggle come tomorrow.
Actually laying out his plan, is kind of nerve wracking. He knows the plan is tactically sound, but he has put Diggle on a moral pedestal and his judgment of the plan will have impact on their friendship. Getting Diggle’s seal of approval with a few stipulations, makes him breathe easier.
They spend the day scoping the environment a little more as well as getting their gear in order and mapping out an escape route, complete with inconspicuous vehicle.
Once the darkness hits, they’re at the docks, waiting on top of a container for the ship to arrive under the cover of the night.
As an archer and hunter, Oliver has become used to waiting in complete stillness until his prey comes in sight. Diggle is a soldier, so he does an okay enough job, but his restlessness is more present than Oliver’s.
Despite his outer demeanor, Oliver is just as glad as Diggle when the ship finally docks.
Since Tatsu and Maseo will be off the ship last, it’ll be more difficult to get them. They’ll be taken off the ship and into a car immediately, so they have to get them before they’re unloaded. However, there will be Yakuza members coming and going the entire time, which makes stealth harder.
For the first few minutes, they remain seated to observe the patterns of those unloading everything, trying to get a feel for their rhythm so they can insert themselves into it.
When they have it down, Diggle eases himself to the ground, covering the first bit of distance while Oliver covers him with his bow. Once he is closer, Oliver follows suit as Diggle covers him in turn with his gun.
It works out well this way. Oliver is less likely to be spotted due to his training and his weapon is silent, which means the more likely one to be spotted has the quietest way to silence whoever has spotted him, before an alarm can be raised.
They cover all the ground to the ship like this without being noticed, until they’re next to it, behind some of the cargo on the loading bay.
When there is no one with the cargo, since they’re getting the next crates, Oliver shoots an arrow to the upper railing. He covers Dig as he climbs, before doing the same.
On the ship, he pulls the rope up, but ties it to the side sturdily, so they can easily toss it down and use it as their way off once they’re escaping.
Diggle and Oliver hold their breath as Yakuza members pass underneath. Once they’re busy on the dock, they drop down into the hull. Neither of them knows the layout or where Tatsu and Maseo are held, so they have to orientate themselves fast, so they can move.
It’s fortunate that the removed cargo leaves the path open to a cage at the very back. Two figures sit there, looking slightly defeated.
Oliver gets Diggle’s attention and gestures for him to watch Oliver’s six as he moves in. Diggle nods that he understands and they move as a unit.
He trusts Diggle to keep an eye on the entrance as he focuses on the cage. Tatsu and Maseo look dirty, hollowed out and exhausted. It’s clear that life had already not been going their way before they got on this horrid ship.
The lock is sturdy, but old. Oliver can easily pick it. As he starts, Maseo opens one eye. The action looks defeated, before suddenly his eyes shoot open and he sits up, Tatsu slipping from his shoulder with a confused noise. “Oliver?”
“You look like shit,” Oliver says, grinning despite the terrible state his friends are in. They’re here. Within reach. Alive.
“What are you doing here?” Maseo croaks, his brain slow.
“I have a nine year old in my custody, who has not stopped asking about his parents for the past six weeks. I would hate to have to disappoint him,” Oliver tells him.
“Akio,” Tatsu gasps.
Oliver nods, grin widening as he sees the happiness reflected in their eyes. This feels good, he wants to feel like this forever.
“Is he okay?” Tatsu asks.
“He is. He’s back in Starling eating too many sweets and playing his games,” Oliver tells them, managing to pick the lock.
“Oliver,” Diggle warns. The Yakuza is coming again.
“Don’t move,” he instructs Tatsu and Maseo, before ducking behind some of the cargo with Diggle, hoping it’s not the crates they’re planning on getting this round. Based on the pattern it shouldn’t be, but you never know.
They’re so close, they can’t afford a slip up now. Oliver will kill all of them, if it means getting Tatsu and Maseo out of here. He can’t handle loosing them again. With every disappearance the chance of finding them again dips drastically.
The men take other crates. All let out a relieved breath.
The second the men are out of sight, Oliver is opening the cage, asking: “Can you two walk?”
“For Akio. I can walk,” Tatsu says determinedly and Maseo nods.
Still, they haul the two up and Diggle supports both best he can as Oliver covers their backs, ready to take out anyone that spots them. Diggle is the one that says: “We can’t go over. They don’t have the muscle.”
“You must destroy their cargo,” Maseo says.
“What?”
“They’re shipping stolen military weapons in. It’s going to be a blood bath when they end up on the streets. They’re going to America,” Maseo says. “You have to make sure they won’t get there.”
Oliver curses under his breath, quickly trying to come up with a new plan. A small part of him can’t help but think Amanda planned this, sending him here to find both Tatsu and Maseo and take out this shipment.
“Diggle, I’m gonna drop bodies,” he says.
“Do what you need to do, I don’t want that on the streets.”
It feels good to have Diggle’s blessing. “Good, get them out of here. I’ll cover you. Now! Run.”
Diggle doesn’t hesitate for a moment. Tatsu is the smaller of the two, so he hoists her over her shoulder, handing Maseo his gun, so he can support him with the other, while the A.R.G.U.S. agent watches them.
Yakuza start yelling and firing when they spot them. Maseo shoots some, but Oliver is the one primarily taking people out. Whatever hope they had for stealth is now gone, not leaving witnesses is the priority.
Once he has cleared the docks, he pops open one of the crates on the docks labeled as C4. He plants the charges before the back up comes back, as Diggle disappears between the containers with the two Yamashiros.
Oliver slips away too, waiting between the shadows until a new batch of Yakuza arrives. He watches as they find their comrades and get angry, checking them over. Once they’re close enough, he presses the detonator, watching how all the bodies and the cargo go up in flames.
He doesn’t even feel guilty for the lives he has taken. All of them are part of Tatsu and Maseo’s state, of keeping Akio from his parents. They deserve what came from them. Oliver is just the weapon that brings them to justice.
After a few moments to make sure everything burns properly, he turns and disappears into the shadows. Time to see Tatsu and Maseo properly again, he smiles at the thought.
~~
A/N:
I hope Diggle’s reaction doesn’t feel too out of character, but in my mind he is still a soldier and even in canon he didn’t mind the death too much, he was more upset about what Oliver was doing, a very different context to how he’s introduced to him now.
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amyisherenowitsokay · 2 years ago
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War on Love (discontinued fic)
Plot Synopsis
SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT
Content warnings for: lots of death, attempted, actual murder, mentions of contemplating suicide, trauma, depression
For individual character analysis, writer commentary, themes, etc. please see the masterpost with appropriate links here.
WoL has roughly 53k worth of unpublished, written words, while it's previously unannounced sequel has the first 4 chapters finished and written, which turns out to be about 25k words.
So to start with, for those who need a refresher, here's a REALLY BRIEF summary of the currently published chapters of WoL, condensed to the bare minimum because otherwise it'd be so long it'd need its own post:
Summary
Gaz (12) goes with Dib (14) to investigate on a few of his missions. Zim discovers his mission and he himself are just a joke to the Tallest, getting the truth from Skoodge. Tak appears on Earth with a damaged MiMi, intent on vengeance against everyone and anyone who played the slightest part in her previous downfall on Earth. (Morgan) Dwicky returns to Earth, intent on saving his Plookesian comrades from death-by-space-dementia-equivalent, called Degradation, selling his servitude to Zim in exchange for help.
Through a series of danger and chaos, Zim, Gaz, and Dib end up allying to defeat Tak and keep her from killing them/destroying the Earth. Gaz obtains blackmail of Zim without his disguise. She uses the threat of its publication against Zim, and its destruction against Dib, to maintain a tenuous peace. Dwicky is enlisted to act as their counselor/chaperon/plausible excuse for the Membrane's to be running all across the country/missing school, as well as offering his services as an arm's dealer and general muscle-bodyguard-space-murderer-things. Zim agrees to hold the Plookesians hostage in a suspension pod until Dwicky finishes helping them with Tak. Dib distances his investigation from the Swollen Eyeball Network publicly, for the sake of the mission, enraging its members. Where we last left off, Zim's initial antagonism was beginning to turn into admiration towards her practical, ruthless nature, which differs from her extremely moralistic sibling.
Tak, after escaping from Zim's brief capture via MiMi's aid, loses her SIR unit when she is 'rescued' by transients, causing MiMi to lose track of her. Assumed homeless/transient, she eventually engenders empathy from a similarly misfortunate human, Peter. Eventually, upon regaining her memory, and unable to locate MiMi, Tak blackmails Peter into becoming her new sidekick. She promises him that she'll use her technology to fix Peter's younger brother, Michael, whom was injured in a violent street brawl, in exchange for his 'loyal' servitude. It is unclear if Michael will ever wake up, or if his neurological damage is permanent.
Additional side characters include a psychic, Rita, and her formerly military wife, Myra, whom the Membranes encounter during Dib's investigation into Rita's authenticity. Rita warns the Membrane's of approaching imminent danger, as well as hints towards knowing a 'secret' of Gaz's that freaks the younger Membrane out. Rita and Myra later enlist the help of an old soldier friend, Donovan, to help track them down and keep an eye on them. All three are semi-retired members of the SEN. Donovan's efforts are aided by his adopted and technologically savvy son, Brian. Raine, formerly Myra and Donovan's military superior, is called in by Donovan for additional backup.
Continuation
For easiest reading, I'm going to summarize the direction of the plot, and then go into the details of how the story was going to play out.
The Rest of the Story Summary
Essentially, the main theme of WoL was the different ways each character finds love and affection, the different forms it comes in, and the ways in which that love uniquely ends up fucking over each and every one of them. As stated early on, in Chapter 1's introductory pages:
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The general plot is that all the OC's and the main band of Dib, Gaz, Zim, and Dwicky all team up to face Tak. Meanwhile, Tak develops a really toxic, kind of sick attachment to Peter. His mutual attraction and terror of her continues to fuel the complicated nature of their relationship throughout the story. Now with a base, Tak begins stealing neighborhood pets and mutating them into monstrous, eyeless creatures referred to as Hounds. They're roughly the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, but they're blind, relying on smell and sound to to pinpoint their targets. She begins developing these creatures while also continuing with killings on her hitlist.
Zim, Dwicky, Gaz, Dib, and the OC gang all chase Tak across the city, foiling her smaller plans and tracking her ongoing murders. They discover prototypes of the Hounds, but are unsure of what the goal is, assuming she plans to use the Hounds as some sort of crude assassination method. The adults all develop a sense of familial, usually paternal obligation towards the Membranes, and even Zim. Initially, they bristle at the perceived threat to their independence, but eventually warm to it in their own ways. Dwicky and Donovan in particular butt heads over their methods of 'parenting,' with Donovan furious at how much he danger he allows the Membrane's to get in, and Dwicky fighting against the developing familial relationship/unintended bonds he's forming with the youths he's come to be in charge of.
Tak begins to develop a strange, toxic relationship with Peter that neither party understands nor knows how to appropriately manage.
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Things take a more dramatic turn for Peter when Tak announces she's aware of his infatuation, reminding him that she is not human, and incapable of reciprocating. Furthermore, she expects that his feelings will not make him less competent, and warns him not to slip into complacency.
In spite of her warnings, their partnership grows oddly affectionate, and Tak begins to loosen up, engaging in some back-and-forth and being more lenient with her orders and his tendency to be so mouthy.
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Things escalate the more Tak refines her Hounds, until eventually, this little number from Ch 1 becomes relevant again:
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Zim, Gaz, Dib, Dwicky, and Co. manage to locate the warehouse Tak was using to develop her Hounds on a larger scale. Unfortunately, she escapes, using the freed Hounds as a distraction. Cornered and separated, Zim and Dib are stuck in the warehouse, with Gaz and Dwicky fleeing together. During this scuffle, Gaz's secret is at last revealed: Gaz is, and has always been, partially blind. It's why she squints so much. It's the secret Rita eluded to, and one Dib has several times as well, adding cause for his protectiveness. She uses contacts developed by her father to aid in her vision, but unfortunately, during the fight, they are knocked out of her eyes, leaving her incredibly vulnerable.
Gaz and Dwicky end up hiding out in a diner.
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Unfortunately for them, Tak finds them. While she cares little for Dwicky, he stands in her way. He declines her bribes, and ultimately, for his efforts, is killed, making him the first death of WoL.
That does in fact mean Dwicky, from the grave, was the chapter 1 first-person narrator.
The rest of the gang arrives too late to save him, but their intervention does give Dwicky enough time to say goodbye to 'his kids'.
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Traumatized by their vulnerability, the loss of their preferred paternal figure, and death conceptually, deal with the fallout. Since Dib's uninjured, it's his turn to deal with the logistics while Gaz and Zim hide from the authorities that are (naturally) involved in the mysterious homicide of a man who's been missing for 5 years, just to show up dead in a pub.
Gaz and Zim discuss several heavy topics at length, one of which is Dwicky's Plookesian friends.
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Ultimately, they decide to leave to leave that decision to Dib, being that he is the group's moral compass. They decide to bring it up when things clear up, and they have more breathing room.
Gaz's disability is also discussed, revealing more details of its origin.
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Dib continues to avoid the subject of Gaz's disability, and their mother's mortality whenever Zim tries to corner him.
The children (Zim included) are cushioned as best as they can by the adult OC's. After Dwicky's death, Professor Membrane becomes involved. The trio come up with the excuse that they've hired private bodyguards (the OC's) and now need a mental health vacation, buying them some time.
Gaz is forced to sit on the sidelines until her new contacts arrive. Dib and Zim mutually refuse to leave her side. All of them nurse wounds and grief in the aftermath. Zim becomes excessively protective of the Membrane's, with he and Dib taking 'shifts' to aid Gaz in visual tasks and general day-to-day functionality while she remains blind for several days. With her vision returned, Gaz tells the truth about her mother's death.
Gaz's mother was ill, and suffered a heart attack while Gaz was home alone with her. Blind and panicking and only a toddler, Gaz miscounted her steps down the staircase in an effort to reach the phone, fell, and was injured to unconsciousness. She was found and able to recover in a hospital only to discover her mother had passed.
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Wanting to keep an eye on his children and be nearby in case they need them, Professor Membrane coincidentally hosts a large conference in the city, inviting his children to attend, and painting an enormous target on his back. Tak's plans escalate, and call for the destruction of the entire conference center and all associated parades, with horrific potential regarding death tolls.
Peter finally isn't able to stomach her killing anymore, and puts his foot down, warning the Membrane's and fleeing to try and stop the plan himself, individually, as well. However, Tak catches him, and forces him into the car with her and the bombs, so that he is forced to watch her set and detonate them.
Aware of her plan, but too late to stop it, Gaz makes a decision.
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Unfortunately for the Membrane's, it's not Tak who ends up dying.
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Peter's death fractures the tenuous grasp of sanity Tak had been holding onto. She blames herself, but more importantly blames Zim, Dib, and Gaz.
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Naturally, this escalates things further.
Tak sets loose the final stages of her plan, which is a three-hitter:
Phase 1 - Release the Hounds all across the city at the same time Phase 2 - Emulate several natural disasters, including earthquakes, tornados, fires, and floods Phase 3 - A special surprise just for the trio
PHASE 1
The trio gets separated pretty fast. If I'm remembering my original plans correctly, Dib and Zim were out scouting while Gaz was home monitoring the cameras. The OC's were in various locations across the city scouting as well when the first wave of Hounds were released, inciting riots, panic, and chaos. Zim and Dib quickly lose contact with her when cell towers begin to fail. Rather that stay home, Gaz goes looking for her sibling and love-interest, and does her best to protect people where she can.
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Eventually, Gaz finds Zim and Dib in the chaos. She is however injured by a Hound in their effort to get to where Tak has set up, in a huge skyscraper in the center of the city.
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She dislocates her shoulder, leaving her down an arm. They are however able to get ahold of the OC's team. Through a scrambled signal, they agree to all continue to head towards Tak's location and meeting one another there for the final battle.
Zim, Dib, and Gaz's group reaches Tak first. Not able to risk waiting for the OC's, the try to enter without them, only for Dib to be grievously injured by debris in an explosion. He collapses, the OC's arriving only in time to see Gaz captured. Zim, sensing at last how dangerous this situation has become, demands they prioritize helping Dib while he goes to rescue Gaz, forbidding anymore humans from being involved.
Zim fights his way to Tak for the final showdown.
It's revealed that Tak has created a ship, designed to send Gaz into space and explode, killing her in a bright, easily-visible-from-Earth explosion.
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Eventually, they fight. Zim manages to get the upper hand, seemingly defeating Tak. He frees Gaz, celebrating briefly until Tak reveals the entirety of her Phase 3's plan.
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Gaz makes the decision ultimately to sacrifice herself for the greater good, inspired by the love for her brother, the newly instilled desire to help others, and to protect Zim.
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Zim, naturally, has other plans.
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Zim tricks the pod, replacing Gaz, and goes inside of it. It locks behind him, preparing a countdown for launching into space. Gaz is unable to stop it, and Zim is incapable with so little time. The two say their goodbyes.
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Zim is promptly launched into space. Spectators fear the worst, seeing a missile launch, but it never comes back down.
Donovan intercepts Gaz as she exits the building. She holds a PAK with a hole in it (which is not a result of Zim's fight with her, leading the reader to realize that Gaz caused that injury on her own). When asked where Zim is, Gaz only looks at the strange 'firework flare' now disappearing into the sky, leaving a series of explosions in its wake. Donovan understands the implication, and takes her home.
The tale, at last, comes to an end, but there is an epilogue.
Full Epilogue (Post In Progress)
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authorautumnbanks · 1 year ago
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How To Tame A Sorcerer (52)
Series Master list
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A few days later - October 10th
Kagome hums to herself as she piles pickle after pickle onto her plate. She ignores the dense atmosphere of Sesshomaru's negativity. Her powers rise to ease the demonic pressure weighing her down. She wonders how many business deals he has secured simply from making the room uncomfortable with his energy. "Want some?" She offers, though she knows the answer. Kagome glances over her shoulder and pouts at the sight.
Sesshomaru is scrolling through his phone leisurely, not paying the slightest attention to her question. Rude. Fine, it's not like she wanted to share anyway. She takes a seat at the table, inhaling the sweet, sweet smell of fresh pickles. Her mouth waters, her stomach rumbles, and she thinks she could survive off of pickles alone. Satoru might object if there aren't any sweets in the house.
"Your mate is unhinged," Sesshomaru says, taking a seat next to her at the kitchen table. He curls his upper lip up, showing off his sharp canines at the mountain of pickles on her plate. His phone rests on the other side of him, far away from her mountain of delectable goods, as though somehow his phone will be tarnished by them. His shoulders are slightly hunched, giving away the amount of stress resting on his shoulders. It must be hard to run a business and keep those under him in check.
Kagome picks up one pickle and munches on it, her thoughts filtering as she chews. "Satoru isn't unhinged…he's just processing his emotions by throwing himself into his work." Mentally, she pats herself on the back. Satoru, taking on more missions to track down Naraku and pretending to search for the Shikon, isn't unhinged. Sesshomaru is just being dramatic and pissy because she turned down his demands to stay at the estate.
"The number of curses that he has–"
"That isn't a bad thing." She reaches for another pickle, humming as she munches on another. Judgment rolls off of Sesshomaru and curls around her like a blanket. Let him judge, she thinks, she'll eat this whole pile of pickles in one sitting just to irritate him. "Don't you have work or something to do? Go lord over your minions." Clearly, not working is causing him to stress out. She doesn't need a babysitter.
"Why else would this Sesshomaru be here?" he says, idly picking off a strand of hair on his tailored dark suit.
Why else would he…? Oh, that son of a…
"Get out," she says with a huff. "And send Shippo over instead. Much better company." She glances down at her gold watch. If she wants to make it on time to meet Megumi at the hospital, then she needs to head out soon-ish.
"The kit is busy assisting that other fox of yours."
"That's cause for concern." Kagome stretches her arms out in front of her and then pushes back against the table. She stands, dusting her hands on her leggings. She grabs her plate and rinses it off before putting it in the dishwasher. Clasping her hands together, she regards Sesshomaru, who seems lost in thought. "Ready?" Kagome tilts her head at Sesshomaru's blank expression. His face is usually a blank mask but there are levels to his lack of emotions and this level is telling her that he has no idea what she is talking about. "I promised Megumi-kun that I would take a look at his sister. There's like a curse or something on her." She could have sworn that she told him that when he came over.
"Must you help everyone?" he murmurs to himself. His glamor shimmers into place as he stands. The chair squeaks as he pushes his and hers back in.
Kagome beams. "Megumi-kun is meeting us there and then he's got a mission or something later. Satoru should be back home for dinner, so you don't have to hang out with me all day," she rambles on as Sesshomaru followers her towards the front door. She raises a brow at Jaken, sleeping with his hat pulled over his eyes. The obnoxious sound of his snores is hard to miss, and if he is doubling as the bodyguard, then that is also cause for concern. "Jaken could have come inside, ya know."
Sesshomaru ignores her and kicks Jaken in the side. The car door cushions his fall, only denting slightly from the impact. "Get up Jaken." Sesshomaru opens the back door for her, glaring at Jaken, who only sniffles and blubbers on.
Kagome sighs and then plasters a pained smile on her face. She feels for Jaken, she really does, though perhaps sleeping on the job wasn't the smartest decision he's ever made. "Well, Jaken, perhaps you can get checked out when we get to the hospital." She slides into the back seat. Her right eye twitches when Sesshomaru does the same, the space now cramped with him in the back with her. At least he smells nice and she won't vomit on the way there. Ijichi took her and the kids grocery shopping the other day, and she thought was going to lose it from the god-awful cologne Ijichi chose for that day. Jaken grumbles to himself up front as he starts the car and reaches back to get the address from her phone.
Sesshomaru glances at her from the corner of his eye. She opens her mouth. The question slithers down the tip of her tongue, threatening to spill out, but she catches herself and swallows the question back down. Another time.
"Hey," Kagome whispers, pushing the phone closer to her ear. There's soft classical music playing in the room. Megumi told her that familiar music helps coma patients.
"Why are you whispering?" Satoru asks on the other line. There's an edge to his tone, and she half expects him to warp to her. His trust with Sesshomaru is fragile at best.
"I don't know. Seems appropriate for the setting." She shrugs, turning away from Sesshomaru and Megumi's pointed looks. "I'm at the hospital with Sesshomaru and Megumi for Tsumiki. I told you that this morning." She frowns. She could have sworn she told him.
Satoru hums. "Don't overdo it." A bang blasts through her eardrums. Satoru curses. "One second," he says, followed by a cluster of screams. "S'orry about that. Any sign of fatigue, you call it quits, okay?" There's more commotion on the other line.
"Yeah, yeah," she says, turning back around. She focuses on the Tsumiki's comatose state and the burden etched on Megumi's face. "I won't overdo it."
"That's my girl. I'll see you later."
"Be careful," she says and hits the end button. "What?" She stuffs her phone into her purse and takes a spot on the bed next to Tsumiki. Tsumiki's brown hair is fanned out in a way that makes her look like an angel that is just resting its eyes. There's no pain or sadness on her face. It's somewhat eerie, and Kagome's heart goes out to the families that are going through the same thing as Megumi.
"He makes you happy," Sesshomaru states.
"Don't sound so shocked." Kagome takes Tsumiki's hand in hers, flashing a gentle smile to Megumi. "We'll get your sister fixed up in no time."
"Thanks, Kagome-san," Megumi says. His hands clenched at his sides, betraying the calmness that he is trying to project. Sesshomaru tenses from the other side of the bed, hovering in case things go awry.
Kagome closes her eyes to drown out the extra stimuli and emotions from Megumi and Sesshomaru. She pushes, searches, for the core darkness that has taken root in Tsumiki. A tendril of fear creeps up, wresting with her mind as she battles it back. Whatever has cursed her is strong…really strong.
Tsumiki thrashes, but Kagome only tightens her grip. Her hair sticks to her forehead. Beads of sweat slide down her neck. Her shirt sticks to her. It itches, but she can tune out the discomfort. Sesshomaru and Megumi shout her name, but she's not going to give up when she is so close. She flinches at the sound of glass breaking. The machines go haywire. The beeping helps her to stay grounded in the present. Keep going, she tells herself, keep going. The serpent wrapped around Tsumiki's soul hisses. The vile, putrid smell makes her want to hurl.
"Ssstay away," it hisses, thrashing about. Its ruby colored eyes go white as the purification takes hold. "Mine, her ssoul is mine." It gives one more jerk as its body evaporates. The darkness fades away, leaving behind a ball of light.
She may not have been able to save Cho, but at least she could save Tsumiki. Kagome opens her eyes, blinking slowly as her vision wavers. Tsumiki's face scrunches up in confusion. Kagome lets her hand go with a wince. She was gripping the poor girl's hand rather tightly towards the end there.
"Tsumiki!" Megumi says, his hands shaking. There are unshed tears in his eyes. It's the most emotion Kagome has seen from him.
There's a breeze in the room, cooling her heated skin. She follows the glass trail to the broken window. Did she do that?
"Megumi…what's going on…" Tsumiki coughs, her voice hoarse. She attempts to raise her arms, but after so many days, months, of un-use, even that action seems to be too much.
In hindsight, they should have brought some water for her and maybe a new set of clothes instead of that hospital gown.
"Grab her and let us depart," Sesshomaru says, walking around the bed. He picks Kagome up bridal style.
"Hey! I can walk." She pushes - well attempts to push back against Sesshomaru. Perhaps she expended a lot more energy than she thought did.
"No time. You would slow us down with your attempts at walking."
Megumi snaps into action, carefully unhooking Tsumiki. "He's right, we can't stay here."
"Why? All I did was get rid of the curse," Kagome says, twitching in Sesshomaru's arms. What she needs is a nice long bath and maybe call Satoru on the way home to share the good news. Her eyelids flutter as sleep threatens to pull her under.
"Got rid of what?" Tsumiki asks, but her question goes unanswered.
"That's exactly why we need to leave."
"You cracked my veil," Megumi says. A wisp of a smile touches his lips as he looks at his healed sister. "Others might be drawn to this location now…not to mention the staff might have some questions."
Oh. That is bad
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ettawritesnstudies · 2 years ago
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about your new what now? elaborate.
I'm running a DnD campaign for my friends that takes place in a multiverse called the planescape! There are a bunch of different planes of existence with different alignments on the scale of good -> bad and lawful -> chaotic, and my players are exploring them to fulfill the last wishes of their late friend, Annabelle Keay, - a treasure hunt as laid out in her will. I've got 6 players, and so I set up 6 NPCs to compete with them and act as foils, originally intending them to stay as just npcs in this silly little game, but I've grown really attached to some of them so I might turn their backstories into short stories at some point! So far we've got the following:
Lief Linwood: an angel who got stuck in the fey realm for years and learned how to navigate and hunt as a ranger. Annabelle came to the feywild on a mission and hired him as a guide, promising him freedom in exchange for his help. But when he got home, only seconds had passed, and he was expected to return to his normal life. Dissatisfied, he turned to a life of adventure, eventually falling out of touch with Annabelle, until he retrieved one last letter from his old friend, asking him to pick up the rest of the team for her funeral, and he realized it was too late to go back and catch up.
Shula Najm: An upstart from the plane of fire, trained in martial combat, and a member of a group that specializes in causing trouble for the police state in the City of Brass. She eventually got captured and landed in a prison cell with Annabelle. They hatched a jailbreak plan together, and haven't spoken since.
Becky Smith: A high elf paladin who was doing a co-op kind of program through her university as Annabelle's bodyguard in her old age. She fell in with a group that uncovered Annabelle's old crimes and convinced her the best way to deal with the threat was to assassinate her charge.
Isolde Halle: A human bard and a protege that Annabelle chose to sponsor from the university. She has a rather low self esteem, despite her craft, and has no idea why she's been selected for this mission.
Hartwig Vanhanen: A dwarven fighter from a plane where all the warriors who die in a day of battle are revived the next day to continue the fight. All wars here are more like elaborate playground games because there are no consequences, but each warrior is incredibly skilled from a lifetime of unrestrained constant practice. Annabelle went to this plane looking for warriors to draft into a cause of her own, and Hartwig volunteered to go with her after she insulted his bravery saying "he didn't know true pain." Only after going off-plane, to worlds where people *do* die, did he realize the gravity of war, and he realized he couldn't return home after seeing what he's seen, not until he's dead himself. He continues lending out his skill to causes in need.
Shaw Gagnon: A shifter pirate who tried to rob Annabelle one time. She let him keep the magic item in exchange for a favor, to be cashed in at a later time. He never heard from her, assuming he got out of the deal, until many years later he received a summons to adventure in her name.
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anotherclassicpretence · 2 months ago
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The Shadows of Frostfall, Chapter 8
“Speaking of him,” Delphine shook off her emotions and tried to anchor herself into the present– “you said that he had a letter for me.”
“He does. And it’s not encrypted, so you won’t need the stencil. It is vital, agent, that you obey him… to the letter.”
“Divines help us, Gaius, that was truly painful.” She smiled as she took the letter from him, breaking that all-too-familiar seal with a strange twinge of sentiment in her mind. She stood up, pacing with restless energy, reading it intently.
To Delphine,
We have lost, my dear. We have been blind, and complacent, and so cut-off from the world in our fortresses and our solemn proclamations of power that the storms have swallowed us unawares, the seas are swirling around us in merciless rage.
Barely had I heard of the events in the Palace when it came to me in an instant that we were outmanoeuvred and surrounded. Cloud Ruler stood calm and resolute with the conviction that it was soon to be put to death, and was determined to face it well.
The agents of the Thalmor are watching our movements, gathering their forces in the forest around. Over-confident as we were, we never thought to fortify the heart of our order. The Temple will fall soon, and we with it. Death is certain, and our only choice is whether to run to it in a glorious charge or invite it closer and closer every night as we suffer through a siege.
I have sent Gaius through one of the last passageways that we control, but it is unlikely that even he, best-acquainted with this region, would have emerged unscathed. Sending more- attempting an evacuation- would definitely have drawn their attention. As it is, all our brothers and sisters have refused to abandon the temple. There is a greed we have, child, to die with honour, and when we know that Death is soon approaching, that greed overpowers our sense of duty.
Perhaps this letter written for your eyes is fated to be plucked off Gaius’ body and mocked by our enemies. If so, I salute you, that you have fooled us so completely. Fight us with honour as we make our last stand, if such a thing is possible for you! Your evil must be potent indeed, to have converted one of our own into a traitor.
Even if Gaius succeeds, I have commanded him not to return. After you, he is our youngest agent, and I wish to give him some chance of survival. If you ever meet him again, embrace him as perhaps your last brother in this world. Look out for one another.
We have purged this place of all knowledge, of all our records of the last three eras and beyond. The location and identity of our few remaining temples and members is now lost. It is a great loss for Tamriel, but it is better we forget than the wrong people remember.
Promise me, as my niece and as my knight, that you will not attempt any foolhardy rescue for us. The Divines have blessed you by preserving your life. Do not throw it away, either in an excess of bravery or of grief. I want you to grow wise- strong, patient, and resourceful. I want you to make sure that people still speak of the Blades after this war has run its course.
The Blades have had a long history- we have been many different things through the ages. Akaviri dragonslayers, servants of the Dragonborn, bodyguards of the Emperor… but that very history has put upon us the burden of legacy. We could not remember our true mission, a needle in the haystack that was our multifaceted role.
Keep your ambitions clear and simple. An order is only as good as its roots. It should never grow tall enough to lose sight of them. Find our purpose in this strange new world to come, Delphine, and find an anchor for yourself.
This is the last letter I shall ever write- you will forgive an old man’s rambles, I hope. Take courage, my child, and trust in yourself. You were born under the Lord– it will never be easy to take you down. I hope you know how proud I am of you– how proud your father was. Live, Della. That is all I ask.
Your uncle, and for the last time,
Grandmaster of the Blades,
Samuel Wirrich.
~
The words seemed to sear themselves into her memory even as she read them. She let the fire wash over her, refusing to lose her strained composure, but there was one line she couldn’t brush away. 
“A traitor?” she couldn’t help blurting out. “No, we– we must have been careless somewhere, or one of their resistance movements must have had a spy. That is how they caught us in the trap. It’s not possible– Gaius, please,” she looked at him pleadingly, begging for him to contradict her uncle’s claim even as she realised he was right. “No one there could possibly have–”
He only looked at her pityingly, summoning more of her anxious passion. 
“I am not being naive,” she insisted through gritted teeth. “I am not denying the possibility of a traitor, but I would swear on my life–”
“Don’t you think Indrata and the others did the same?” he interrupted bluntly. “Did you count the heads, Delphine? How many were missing? If it was just one, there we have it– although not every beheading would have left a pretty enough souvenir, I think.”
“How dare you?” she asked in a low voice, inches from breaking. Turning away, she took a few deep breaths, and brought herself back to the moment, using his words as an anchor. She knew what he meant by them; the same thing she had told the Emperor– it’s over. But in her case, the failure was not yet complete– the letter had more information in it that she needed to understand. She read through it again, as calmly and objectively as she could. The part about the siege reminded her of her own plans.
There was no time to be lost. She looked up at Gaius, drinking his wine with a pained look, and slammed her hands on the table.
“I have made some progress. I suspected that the Temple would be watched. And what’s more, I found out that the bastards are poisoning the food supplies you get from the city. They have no intention of giving you a fair fight. You will be weakened and plucked off for their amusement.”
He raised his eyebrows slowly, shrugging his shoulders. “And here I was thinking it was Rockjoint that was slowing me down. By the way, I did actually bring these jewels for you. He sent them with the letter.”
She ignored him, continuing, “I’ve made arrangements so that I will be the one driving that carriage. They won’t suspect me, and the man I dealt with won’t say a word. We can, we ought to–”
“I may not have read that letter, but I am pretty sure he commands you to stay away. There’s no point to it anymore, Delphine.”
His nonchalance spurred on her anger, and she dug into his hand with her nails. “He gave you the same command. Are you truly weak enough to follow it?”
“What difference will it make if there are two more bodies for the Thalmor to burn? You don’t have a plan– you’re a cornered animal, Delphine. Reason has left you. Go– get out of Bruma, get out of Cyrodiil. Keep our memory alive.”
“So forget this horror, let this… this spineless traitor get away, and keep my mouth shut. Follow your example of– what, exactly?” she sneered, her disgust no longer restrained. “Slinking away? Becoming a farmer in Morrowind? Drowning your sorrows in drink?”
“This is a pointless argument. The grandmaster ordered me to leave. I am free to do what I will, and if you truly object, I’m not too drunk for a duel.” He spread his arms wide, inviting her to challenge him.
“Fine. Go where you will. I hope your cowardice haunts you till your dying day. But I am going to be at the stables tomorrow at dawn, and ride to my family’s aid. Perhaps I will die, but if that means the grandmaster can take my place and live, I won’t regret it. As it is, if no one shows up tomorrow, that fool of a merchant will think he’s safe and tell the Thalmor everything, putting a target on my back.”
“So what? There’s a target on my back as well– these wounds didn’t satisfy them. Even if you show up, the merchant will tell them everything, just a bit later.”
“‘Later’ suits me. It gives me enough time to get there and make a stand.”
He stared at her for a moment, and let out a sad smile. “I can’t stop you, then. So, I wish you well. Let’s part friends, Delphine. Have one last drink, to old times– there is nothing more to be done.”
All of her rage could not mask the fact that there was a friend, perhaps the last friend she would see, sitting before her. She took up her glass stiffly, raised it with his, and downed the contents. They sat up for another hour, speaking of theories and memories– of everything but the frozen present.
~
Delphine opened her eyes with difficulty, shielding them from the sunlight streaking through the window. She slowly sat upright, and it was a moment or two before she realised that it was not, in fact, dawn.
She stood up in a panic, but felt a bout of dizziness, and clutching the table to steady herself, she looked around. She was alone, the door was secure, and there was a small note next to the grandmaster’s letter.
‘Later’ also gives you enough time to get out of Bruma. Forgive me for this and for reading your letter, but I needed it to strengthen my resolve, to overpower my doubts. I am wounded and hunted– I am the better choice. Do not let my death be in vain. Do not let the grandmaster down. Do not let the bastards win. Take the jewels and run.
Aghast, she collapsed to the floor, realising all too late that Gaius had drugged her wine with Sleeping tree sap. How, when, and why? But the questions meant nothing.
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