#tomato serum

[moonythejedi394]

snippet of ch6 of my warlord/prince fic

Steve purrs and nuzzles into Bucky’s neck, seeking out his scent gland. Bucky tips his chin up to let him. Post-coital, Steve is drowsy.

“Nap, darling,” Bucky encourages. “I’ll wake you up in about an hour for the games.”

Steve nods and yawns. He snuggles closer to Bucky’s neck, but shivers a little. Bucky grabs a fur blanket and pulls it up, covering them. Steve sighs happily.

“Thank you, Daddy,” he mumbles.

“Of course, sweetheart.”

Steve dozes, content with the scent of his Alpha in his nose. Vaguely, he’s aware of Bucky slipping his cock from him at some point, after his knot released. Steve just presses closer, hands tucked between their bodies. 

Then, sometime after Bucky pulled out, Steve wakes to Bucky’s soft, deep voice.

“Time to get up, little one. We have games to attend.”

Steve yawns and nuzzles into Bucky’s scent gland. Bucky kisses the top of his head.

“You’ll enjoy watching,” he promises. “I’ll be in each fight.”

“Won’t get hurt, will you?” Steve asks.

“If I do, it’s the will of the gods.”

Steve scowls at that. He pushes up and catches Bucky in a kiss.

“If you get hurt, I’ll beat you,” he whispers boldly.

Bucky laughs, throwing his head back. Steve takes the opportunity to bite none-too-gently at his scent gland. Bucky laughs again and rolls them over to put Steve on his back, then kisses him soundly.

“Feisty little one, aren’t you?” Bucky purrs. “I swear, darling, I won’t get hurt. It’s bad luck, after all.”

Steve is satisfied by that. Bucky pushes up and pulls him into a sitting position, then lifts him off the bed. He puts Steve back on his feet, then picks up the discarded shift.

“Arms up,” he says.

Steve lifts his arms and Bucky pulls the shift onto him. Bucky then picks up the robe, unbuttons it the rest of the way, and helps him into it. Steve steps back into his slippers and Bucky puts back on his shirt and boots. Bucky guides him into the sitting room, and then out. They return to the first floor, then go through the grand front doors outside.

An arena has been set up in the courtyard. Spectators are already gathered, but the arena is empty. Bucky walks with Steve over to a tent, enters it with him, and they find Thor and Brunhilde waiting, wearing armor. 

“How was it?” Brunhilde asks with a grin.

“Oh, he’s a dream,” Bucky answers, swinging his arm over Steve’s shoulders. “Better than anyone I’ve ever fucked, and he has zero experience, even.”

Steve blushes. Thor and Brunhilde laugh.

“It’s the virginity,” Steve mutters under his breath.

Bucky, Thor, and Brunhilde still hear him and they all laugh again. Bucky yanks Steve against his side and kisses his braids.

Natasha then enters, her face painted with red warpaint and wearing armor, but no sleeves. Her armor is also decorated with teeth, but no human bones. 

“Looking forward to trying to cut you,” she says to Bucky. “But I’ve heard even demi-gods don’t bleed.”

“We don’t,” Bucky says with a feral grin.

Natasha snorts. Bucky crosses to a trunk and opens it, then, strangely, rips his shirt off. He dons the same sort of armor as the day before though without his shirt, and with a different vest that has less coverage; straps connecting metal-reinforced leather over heart, belly, and low back but exposing skin elsewhear. Steve is once again disconcerted by the jawbones that look very human. Bucky paints his face with black stripes and ties back his hair with a leather cord. He then reaches out for Steve and Steve immediately goes to him. Bucky grabs him by the waist and kisses him thoroughly. Steve forgets anyone else is in the tent and he whimpers, standing on his toes to press his clothed prick against Bucky’s tasset.

“He really is easy,” Natasha quips.

Steve jerks back and blushes, but Bucky laughs. He steps back and picks up a massive sword, made of black metal and sheathed in leather decorated with more animal teeth or claws, and gold. He straps it to his back, then picks up a helm made out of iron and a large, vicious looking skull, which he puts on. His eyes show through the empty sockets of the skull and the upper jaw frames his cheekbones. Bucky pauses, grabs Steve by the jaw, and roughly wipes his mouth with his thumb. It comes away black. Steve touches his lips.

“Good enough,” Bucky says. “Let’s go.”

They all exit the tent. The spectators see Bucky and cheer. Bucky raises a fist in triumph to them, then guides Steve to where his parents are standing, looking sour again.

“Spend a little quality time with your son,” Bucky says. “But not too much. I don’t want him distracted from the ring.”

Neither Sarah nor Joseph say anything. Bucky catches Steve’s waist and kisses him sharply but briefly, leaving more black on his mouth. He then turns and strides up to the arena, hopping the fence marking it. The spectators cheer louder. Bucky throws up both fists and circles the arena predatorily. He stops in the center, then throws his head back and howls like a wolf. The spectators fall silent.

“Let any who wish to challenge me cross the fence!” Bucky shouts. “By our laws, it is tradition I be put to the test before my mate before I wed him! Make it a good one, folks!”

The cheering starts up again. Immediately, Natasha jumps into the ring, drawing two short swords.

Bucky draws his greatsword, then the two begin to circle each other. The cheering doesn’t stop. Natasha and Bucky seem to be exchanging words, but they are not audible.

Suddenly, Joseph grabs Steve by the arm and hauls him close. Steve yelps and is startled, but Joseph slaps a hand over his mouth.

“Silence!” he hisses in Steve’s ear. “There is one thing left you are good for –”

He shoves a sheathed scian at Steve. Steve fumbles with it.

“Hide it,” Joseph growls in a command.

Steve finds himself obeying. He shoves it into his stockings and straightens up.

“Tonight,” Joseph continues to command, “you will rid us of this pagan usurper. Slit his throat and we will absolve your sins.”

Steve gasps.

“Silence!” Joseph commands. “You will not speak of this. You will do your duty by your people. When Barnes is dead, we can drive out his armies.”

Steve is distracted by Natasha charging on Bucky. Their swords collide and it rings in the air. 

“Do I make myself clear?” Joseph demands.

Steve just nods. He doesn’t know what to do.

Abruptly, he hears Bucky laughing. Natasha ducks under his sword and slashes at his legs, but Bucky jumps out of the way. Steve finds himself shaking. Joseph shoves him away again. Steve glances at Sarah, but she won’t look at him.

“But…” Steve whispers. “Isn’t – isn’t murder a sin?”

“You are already a sinner!” Joseph snarls. “You may find forgiveness after you do this. I will bite you so you do not suffer bondsickness. Then you will be sent away. Your mother will have another child.”

Steve looks at his mother again. She makes no expression. She’d only ever had one litter because it had nearly killed her and out of the the three pups she’d born, two were stillborn. He knows she’s refused to have another litter every time Joseph asked her to, which only worked because their personal physician recommended she didn’t try another litter. He can’t believe she’s caved to this.

“Speak no more,” Joseph demands. “Watch your… your Alpha,” he spits out.

Steve turns, shuffling. Bucky brings his sword down on Natasha and she catches it with both of hers, forming an X. Bucky then kicks her between the legs, but she darts back. Bucky charges on her and she ducks, circling around so Bucky puts his back to Steve. Steve, even from a distance, can see sweat dripping between Bucky’s bare shoulder blades. The two cross blades once more, then Bucky throws Natasha off and she stumbles. Bucky swings his sword and the tip catches her on the cheek. Blood immediately forms along the cut. She draws back, at once sheathing her swords.

The crowd cheers tenfold.

“FIRST BLOOD HAS BEEN DRAWN!” Bucky calls above the din, raising his fist to the air.

Natasha exits the ring. She’s followed by Brunhilde.

Steve shakes the rest of the morning. Bucky fights Thor, then Loki in trousers instead of his – their dress, then Rhodey, then even Wanda, and after her, a handful of warriors Steve doesn’t know the names of. Bucky wins each and every match, though Steve can tell his opponents are truly attempting to draw blood with how viciously they attack. The dagger under his robes is a heavy weight. Steve doesn’t know what to do.

The sun is high in the sky as Bucky jumps the fence again. He walks in a straight line to Steve and, still upset by the scian in his stocking, he lifts his hands for comfort. Bucky takes him by the waist, then lifts him and tucks him against his chest.

“To lunch,” Bucky says, a bit out of breath. “I’ve worked up an appetite.”

Steve nods. Bucky begins to walk again and Joseph and Sarah fall into step behind him. The captains including Domino  and chiefs and their partners then follow, and after them, the crowd of spectators. Servants open the front doors and Bucky strides through them. They go to the great hall and many people are already waiting. Bucky walks up to the high table, crosses behind it, then takes the center seat. Joseph sits at his left and Sarah beside him. There are nine seats, and beside Sarah sit Bruce and a woman Steve doesn’t know. On Bucky’s right, Natasha sits with Clint in her lap and Wanda, Darcy, and Jane at their right. Bucky pulls Steve across his lap and waves a hand. Servants stride up with food, then they serve it, holding each dish and putting food on their plates before going to the right to serve the next plate.

Bucky puts his hand on Steve’s leg and it lands on the knife.

“What’s this?” Bucky says, flipping Steve’s robe up. “Now, I didn’t give this to you, pet, where did you get it?”

Steve sucks in a breath. Joseph is staring straight ahead. Joseph had commanded him to tell no one, so he cannot speak. But Bucky’s word is his law. He feels compelled to answer.

[brnesblogposts]

cootitis

(this is the stupidest thing i’ve ever written.)

bucky barnes x reader & avengers

a/nthis is another conversation i just had on character ai that was funny so i’m turning it into a fic

this turned out to be shit but i’m posting it anyway.

———

It was two in the morning and the two of you were standing outside your room when a figure appeared in the hall “Wha—“

Your heads whipped around to find Peter wide eyed and jaw hanging open staring at you both. Bucky instantly tensed up and you fought to come up with an excuse.. “GOODNIGHT!” You shouted abruptly before running back into your room. Bucky remained stood, stiff as a board staring at Peter awkwardly, “Were you guys..?” Peter raised an eyebrow and his voice went all high and squeaky because he felt awkward at what he’d walked into. Bucky shifted on his feet and coughed out a “No” before turning on his heel ready to walk away when another voice made an appearance—

“Barnes?” fuck it’s Stark Bucky thought to himself. Bucky coughs awkwardly “Oh hey” He smiles coyly because he doesn’t know what else to do.

Tony eyes him up noticing he’s standing outside your room in just a pair of boxers.

“Mr Stark I think Bucky and Y/n were um.. kissing..” Peters voice is still squeaky. Tony’s eyes go wide as he whips his head to find Bucky trying to walk away “Barnes.” Bucky stops in his tracks and is as still as a statue. You’re on the other side of the door eavesdropping of course and decide to help Bucky out by opening your door and stepping out into the hallway..

“Oh, hey guys! Nobody told me there was a party going on out here in the hall!” You may just be the worst liar on the planet. Bucky’s eyes shoot to you from where he’s stood and then to Peter and Tony.

“Do you care to explain why you’re both as red as tomatoes right now?” Tony has a smirk on his face, he’s finding this quite entertaining. Bucky says nothing because he can’t come up with anything and quickly you spit out “We were um— we were having a competition to see who could hold their breath the longest..” what. You think to yourself.

“Is that right?” Tony is full on smiling now “May i ask who won?” he’s feigning curiosity. You shift awkwardly and look around “Uhm Bucky because you know.. super soldier serum and all that. Was close though, we had several complications but he is undefeated so far—“ SHUT UP you thought to yourself because you were rambling now. Bucky grunted in agreement heavily avoiding looking Tony in the eye.

“So you have these competitions at 2am often?” Tony looks so relaxed as he’s interrogating the both of you, you want to strangle him. Another awkward silence passes, “Uhhh no, one time thing.” You hold your chin up high as if it will help.

“Mr Stark..” Peter looks up to Tony “I feel like they’re lying.” Tony smiles down at Peter “I think we can continue this conversation in the morning, don’t you all agree?” Bucky is nodding frantically and you shoot Tony with a thumbs up.

“Right, Parker go to bed.” Tony says to Peter who nods and walks away “And you two.. better start planning some better excuses for the morning.” He grins and goes back to his room. Bucky and you don’t say another word as you part ways and he goes back to his room.

———-—————— breakfast ———————-

Everyone is sitting at the table, an awkward silence lingers between Tony, Peter, Bucky and yourself. Everyone else seems to notice and keeps glancing at all of you, “Who died?” Clint breaks the silence. It goes silent again before Tony coughs and looks to you and Bucky waiting for one of you to speak up, neither of you do.

“LAST NIGHT I CAUGHT BUCKY LEAVING Y/N’s ROOM, TONY AND I THINK THEY WERE KISSING” Peter lets out a breath as if holding that in was eating him alive. It probably was. The table goes silent again as cutlery clashes from people dropping their forks or spoons and looking at the both of you. If possible Bucky and yourself sink into your seats just waiting for the floor to swallow you whole.

“Excuse me?” Natasha is smiling.

Steve is simply staring at his best friend processing what he’s just heard.

“We weren’t kissing.” You spoke abruptly and went back to picking at your food.

“Why are you both blushing so much?” Clint asks while smiling, this seems to be entertaining for all of them.

“Uh you know— allergies.” Bucky is sitting in silence letting you suffer everyone’s questions.

“Allergies?” Tony inquires and you nod, “That doesn’t make any sense—“ He continues but you interrupt “Yes it does.” The way you say it is incredibly unconvincing.

“Why is Bucky’s face also red if you have allergies?” Natasha smirks as she asks you, “They’re um— contagious allergies..” You lie through your teeth.

“Contagious?” Clint and Steve ask in unison, “Yeah.” You’re panicking.

“What are these allergies called?” Tony is practically grinning as he asks.

“It’s uh it’s called um Cootitis. very serious stuff” You blurt out and are met with snickers as everyone tries holding in their laughter and Bucky looks at you absolutely perplexed.

“Cootitis..?” Tony asks with a serious tone while holding in his laugh. You look stern as you say “Yes and I must have passed it onto Bucky in passing” avoiding eye contact as you say that because you don’t even believe yourself.

“Well this sounds like a new disease we know nothing about. I think it’s best Bruce and I take you both to the med bay and run some tests.. like take some bloo—“

He doesn’t get to finish before you blurt out “FINE. BUCKY AND I WERE KISSING” because he knew your fear of needles would invoke you.

“I KNEW IT.” Peter screams as Tony leans back in his chair with his arms crossed and the widest smile on his face. You sit back defeated letting out a long sigh.

“Well why didn’t you just say that from the start?” Steve asks and you both give him an evil look. It goes back to awkward silence now that the secret is out except for the secret glances you and Bucky give each other throughout the day, earning scoffs and fake gags from your co workers.

—————————————

reblogs appreciated :)

[darkbluekies]

How would Dr. Kry react to reader doing skincare with stuff he doesn't know about?? Would he maybe take it away? Let reader do it, read whats in it, or?? :p got curious while doing mine since the original red serum looks a lot like blood 😭

The thing is, I think that he would like you taking care of yourself (because he surely doesn't).

Dr Kry would find it cute when you rubbed your face carefully with your moisturizer and asked him to touch your cheek after, to show how soft it gets. And he would touch it, just poke it slightly to not blush up red as a tomato. Because there is something in your eyes when you push your cheek forward and want him to touch it, something innocently glowing in your eyes that intensily watch him that make him shy.

He would take the skincare and stand by your bed, reading all the ingredienses and carefully choosing which one you could use or not. Nod a bit for himself when he found something good and frown whenever he found something damaging.

"This?" he would ask and hold up a little bottle. "Do you want to burn your skin off? I'll throw this away. You don't need this. Honestly, the only thing you really need is water, a cleanser and some moisturizer. You don't need sunscreen since you don't go out, but if you want to use it I suppose that there is no harm in that. But you don't need this stupid stuff."

If you persuaded him, he would let you do his skincare every now and then, but he would have a hard time hiding hide that your touch affects him and would have to excuse himself for a few minutes afterward to ... catch his breath.

[solar-wing]

⚣ Predator & Prey 🔥

Check out Part One🦍 if you haven't already!

⚣🔥 A/N → For anyone who has read the previous version of this on my original account, no you're not crazy. In the process of me editing and revising, I took out and/or added some parts. Which. speaking of, the NSFW is over 2000 words longer than the original. I need to be stopped. WARNINGS: INTERSEX Male Reader. Canon-Typical Violence. Dub-Con slightly leaning into Non-Con. Emotional triggers. More Ass-smacking. Manhandling. SFW Version Posted here. NSFW version posted to Patreon (IT'S FREE TO READ)!

⚣🔥 Summary → After an eventful afternoon of being manhandled and groped by your sexually crazed teammate, your teammates finally managed to subdue the Kryptonian and get you out of his grasp, thanks to Batman's insurance policy. As you all leave him to recover and rest after learning the serum's true purpose, you find yourself trapped inside a powered-down with only you and Conner left inside. How are you going to get out of this one?

⚣🔥 Words → 7.5k

REBLOGS and replies are very appreciated, please 💛

⚣ ENJOY 🔥

Half an hour.

It took half an hour for your team to free you from Conner’s grasp. And these people had the nerve to call themselves heroes.

They chased him throughout the entire Cave while sealing off the exit in the vehicle hangar since he tried to escape the headquarters with you.

All you could do was watch from your position slung over the Kryptonian’s shoulder as they tried different tricks and ambushes to subdue him. At some point, you used your powers to melt the makeshift cuffs on your wrists, freeing your bound hands which Conner was not happy about at all if the way he spanked your ass said something about it.

Whenever you tried to free yourself from his hold, he’d spank, pinch, or claw at your butt as a punishment. He’d sometimes shake you around a bit to try and disorient you. It worked in his favor since you spent so much time hanging upside down while being jerked around from his constant running and leaping, that it’d leave you dizzy at times. Your legs had even fallen asleep at some point while your neck was sore from constantly having to hold your head and upper body up.

Thankfully, with your now free hands, you could hold yourself up easier by placing your hands on Conner’s back. Which was totally not extremely hot and attractive from how sweaty and shiny his skin looked from the parts you could see through his torn shirt.

So not hot.

Yeah, I’ll take $1000 for WORLD’S BIGGEST LIAR!

Anyway, that was just Conner’s way of dealing with you. He was much more brutal with your friends. 

Your comrades may as well have been world-class villains the way he was fighting them. But, that was only if they tried to help you or got too close for his liking. If they attacked him, he’d just maneuver and dodge out of the way. 

Red Tornado was right with his earlier warning to the group. Conner didn’t seem to care about himself, he only cared about keeping you out of their reach. In his primal state of mind, you belonged to him, and so he was defending his territory.

At one point, Wally got close to freeing you. While Zatanna and M’Gann kept the Kryptonian distracted from the front, the speedster sneakily sped up behind you two to grab your hands, thinking he could just pull you off from Conner’s shoulder before he could react. 

Unfortunately, you both once again underestimated his abilities. His reflexes were fast enough that the second he felt your body start to slip from his hold, he turned around and had Wally by the throat against one of the walls. Even though he didn’t try to choke him, it was enough to shock you all.

Conner only let him go when you pressed glowing hands against his back to burn him which earned you a hefty smack on the ass. You’d be very surprised if you looked in the mirror and didn’t see an outline of Conner’s handprint on your behind which also had to have been red like a tomato from his rough treatment of it. Just from how hot and stinging your skin felt under the suit, you knew it would be sore and you’d have trouble sitting for the next few hours.

You’d pretty much lost all hope until Batman pulled out his ‘contingency plan’, a ring made of green kryptonite he had stashed in his utility belt. 

When Conner was distracted, the Dark Knight swooped in and got one good hit across the face with the ring, which was enough to disorient him and loosen the grip he had over your legs. You immediately took advantage of the moment to free yourself, reaching your arm backward to press your glowing hand against his arm holding your thighs. He screamed in pain, which you felt bad for, but when his arm dropped as he shook your hand off, you finally could roll off his shoulder onto the ground, happy to feel a solid surface again.

The Kryponite obviously did a number since Conner didn’t recover as fast. But, it wasn’t enough to knock him completely back. The moment he realized you were no longer in his hold, he screamed out in rage before trying to grab you again. 

Batman swooped in and got another hit before he could reach you though, this time on his abdomen knocking him down. Then, Robin came by with another larger piece of kryptonite, just in case. Where Batman had all this kryptonite stored, you didn’t know. Frankly, you didn’t think you wanted to know.

You hated hearing his screams of pain, but you’d rather he be knocked out and sedated than trying to pin you against another wall.

Well, maybe you wouldn’t mind that. Just without the aggressive and dominant behavior.

Alright, you wouldn’t mind that either!

You just didn’t like it happening in front of your friends. It was all you could do to even glance at M’Gann when she and your teammates came to help you onto your feet as the numbing feeling slowly retreated from your legs.

Even your waist was sore since you spent so much time hanging from Conner’s shoulders. You were just thanking whatever deity out there that you didn’t pee yourself while all this was happening because the pressure against your bladder seriously made it quite the job.

Speaking of, you really should go take care of that.

“He’ll be fine.” You heard Batman say as you returned from the showers. When you made it to the bathroom in time, you decided to take a shower as well, stripping your suit and throwing it into the wash for…reasons.

Don’t ask.

You found your team in the medical wing of the Cave, standing around while listening to Batman’s diagnosis.

“It indeed was a serum designed to amplify Conner’s basic primal instincts. The same instincts we all have but have somewhat regressed over time due to evolution. His Kryptonian genes increase these instincts naturally on their own, but the serum manages to subdue the human part of his DNA and mind, turning his brain into a more primitive state. Had it been fully administered, we would’ve been dealing with an enraged and homicidal animal. But, since Y/N prevented that, we got–” 

“An enraged animal with a bad case of blue balls.” Wally cut in while snacking as usual.

“Yes, that,” The Dark Knight said, turning back to look at the computer. Red Tornado was by another computer, analyzing the samples of the serum they’d gotten from the syringe you recovered.

“It seems the serum is not permanent. After a diagnostic scan of vitals, the dosage has already started to dissipate as his immune system works to remove it. With his Kryptonian DNA, it should be fully neutralized by the end of the day.” Red Tornado stated.

You could feel the tension in the room relax as your friends were happy to hear your comrade was going to be okay. Moreso, he wasn’t going to wake up and try to kill them all again, even if he didn’t really try in the first place.

“We need to move to the Watchtower. With this new development, the League needs to be aware of these new tactics our enemies are using,” Batman stated, closing his screen before walking off towards the central room, Red Tornado following closely behind.

You and your friends could hear the Zeta tube powering up, as the system announced your superior's departure. The room fell quiet for a moment.

It didn’t last long before Wally spoke up. Typical.

“Well, today’s been fun,” He said with a mocking tone.

You all laughed at the sentiment. Even with the chaos today, you could admit that the day’s events did make for a funny story in the future, despite how embarrassing it was.

“How are you feeling, Y/N?” You heard Zatanna ask.

“Oh, other than basically getting molested in front of my team and carried around like a sack of potatoes, I’m feeling quite good. A little warm, if not,” You joked.

Your friends chuckled at your lightheartedness, respecting the obvious fact that you didn’t want to talk about the situation. Especially Wally, who was aware of your feelings towards your team’s resident Kryptonian.

Your eyes floated over to the green martian, who despite putting on a smile, you could tell was also affected by this…ordeal.

“Sorry, M’Gann.” You said, not knowing what else to say.

Everyone shifted a bit uncomfortably as well, knowing that the subject of Conner & M’Gann was still a little touchy. Why did they break up? None of you knew besides them, and you guessed they wanted to keep it that way. It was just surprising since they seemed like the perfect couple, but as you were keenly aware, some things weren’t always as great as they appeared.

“It’s okay, Y/N. It’s not your fault. Conner and I broke up, so there’s no reason for me to be upset.” She said, giving you a reassuring smile. You were happy to see she wasn’t holding anything against you, your friendship still intact.

“I’m just glad you stopped Ivo before he could give Conner that entire dosage. If this was him on just half of that serum, I don’t even want to begin to imagine what could’ve happened if he succeeded.” Kal said.

You all shuddered at the thought.

“Well, I’m still offended over the fact he basically said we all stink.” Artemis expressed.

“I don’t know about that. He may have been right about you. I mean, have you ever stopped to smell your armpits in your suit.” Wally teased, holding his nose and waving his other hand in front of it.

“Oh, I know you’re not talking! Have you ever smelled yourself after one of your runs? It’s like a sweatshop found inside a dumpster.” Artemis mocked in return.

They were about to continue their bickering, but at the behest of Kal, your friends moved out of the medical wing and headed toward the kitchen and lounge room to make some dinner, giving Conner time to rest. Wally asked you to stay behind though for a second, promising the others you’d catch up in a minute.

“You doing okay?” Wally asked, pausing in his gorging of pretzel sticks.

You needed a moment to think. Were you okay? 

Despite basically being molested (even if you liked it), something was nagging at the center of your chest. Was it the fact that you hated how you may have hurt M’Gann by her being a witness to her ex trying to do you against the cave walls? Or was it the fact that you actually didn’t feel all that bad because a part of you liked the fact that the Kryptonian was more focused on you for a change? It was no secret you could’ve done more to escape his grasp. But, did you hold back because, in reality, you wanted it to be real?

Well, that was obvious. 

You didn’t want to escape his grasp. You wanted it to go further. The idea of Conner taking you against your will, having his way with you in that aggressive and animalistic way? Not only was it A) extremely hot, and B) one of your biggest wet dreams since you met Superboy the day you first joined the team, but it was the fact that you were actually living out that fantasy. 

The boy you were crazy for was showing you attention. He was focused on you and your wants. But in the end, it was only because of the result of some crazy hormone-inducing drug. It wasn’t genuine. It wasn’t real. A cruel but typical twist by fate.

Well, as typical as you can for someone of your lifestyle.

This was worse than those times when you'd find out a guy was straight after you felt like they were flirting with you. Only this time, the flirting was in the form of ass-groping and manhandling which again, you did not object to at all.

Oh shoot, Wally was still waiting for an answer.

“I’ll be fine.” You said, not knowing how to express how you felt to the speedster without breaking down.

“I know it’s gotta suck man. Having your crush all on you like that only for it to be because some evil Doctor wanted to use him to kill us all.” Your friend replied, placing a hand on your shoulder for comfort.

You couldn’t help but laugh at his idea of comfort. The boy may be extremely smart, but as the famous statement proves time and time again, common sense wasn’t always so common. And the idea that you probably didn’t want to hear that what happened between you and Conner was fake, and would probably…not even probably, never happen again was in short, like pouring salt on an already bad wound.

But, it was Wally. The notion was appreciated anyway.

“I’ll be alright man. Yeah, it was nice to feel like for a moment, I had something I wanted in my grasp, but I always knew in the back of my mind it wasn’t real.” You expressed, the words feeling like a hard swallow in your throat.

“Sorry dude. But, to be fair, it was more like you were in his grasp,” Wally remarked.

“You just can’t be serious for more than three seconds can you?”

“Hey, don’t be mad at me. I saw the look on your face when Conner had you against the wall.” 

Wally placed himself against the wall behind him, mimicking the position Conner had you in earlier, “Oh no, stop Superboy, please don’t take me against your will, even though I want you to, you big strong brute. Oh no…”

You pinched your nose while holding back your laughs as Wally continued his performance. If this is actually what you looked and sounded like, you’d be casting yourself off to the nearest deserted island to hide away in isolation for the rest of eternity.

You had to give him props for his acting though.

“Huh, didn’t take you as one with a touch for the dramatics.” You joked.

“What can I say, I’m a gifted man.”

“Oh you’re something alright,” You two continued joking back and forth with each other as you started to exit the medical wing. You took one last glance at Conner who was still out cold, then a thought struck you.

“Does Batman always keep kryptonite on him?” You asked, pausing in your walking.

“Yep. Apparently, he’s got stockpiles of it in the Batcave. Calls them his “insurance policies” in case Superman was ever to fall under the control of the enemy like what happened with Vandal Savage and his cronies. Dick says he’s got insurance plans for all the members of the league for ‘just in case’ purposes.” Wally answered, still stuffing his mouth with pretzel sticks and using one of his hands to create air quotes.

“Even us?”

“I don’t know but who knows? You know Batman. I’d be surprised if he didn’t have something up in that tool kit of his or somewhere around here.”

You nodded your head, not knowing how to reply to that. I guess it was good to have protective measures in case something like that were to even happen. It just disturbed you how Batman knew enough about everyone in the League to know their biggest weakness. 

To your knowledge, you didn’t have any direct ones. The only thing you knew regarding your powers was that as long as your body temperature stayed at a certain degree, your powers really couldn’t be nullified. And they were more connected to your emotions anyway so there wasn’t anything you could think of that Batman could have against you, but even then…

We were talking about the ‘World’s Greatest Detective’. As Wally said, you’d be surprised if he didn’t have something up his sleeve.

As you and your friend exited out of the medical wing and headed for the lounge room with the others, neither of you had caught the moment when Conner’s fist clenched at his side.

The day was over and you were walking back toward the central room, about to Zeta tube yourself back to your city and head home for the night. Wally, Robin, and Artemis had already left while Kal, M’Gann, and Zatanna decided to go walking around Happy Harbor. 

Red Tornado hadn’t come back from the Watchtower yet so it was just you. Well, you and Conner, but he was still passed out in the medical wing where you and Wally left him.

Batman and Red Tornado said the serum would have been out of his system by the end of the day. You figured that and all the fighting must have exhausted him so he was just catching up on some Zzzs. Lord knows you were ready to do the same after the day you had.

The Cave was quiet, which was unsettling considering there was always something going on which resulted in noise, leaving an eerie feeling in your chest but you decided to ignore it. Reaching the central hub and entering the coordinates into the mainframe you heard the chamber begin to activate before the power suddenly blinked out and the Zeta tube shut down.

“What the heck?” You muttered to yourself.

The red emergency lights came on as the system announced a power failure as the backup power generators kicked on. You pulled your communicator out to call your friends, but all you were getting was static.

“Ugh, crappy service. How do you have the most high-tech gadgets, and still can’t get a good signal even in a cave?”

These people needed some serious priority checks.

You placed your backpack down at the center console before conjuring a fireball in your hand to give you some more light. You headed down the hallway, hearing the sounds of your footsteps echo in the halls.

That creepy eerie feeling had returned, and you could feel yourself slightly on edge. When you made it to the generator room which also happened to be the vehicle hangar, you looked around trying to spot which one was the panel you needed to open.

Suddenly, the sound of movement caught your ears, and you jumped around heart racing preparing to launch your fireball at whatever the source was. You stopped yourself in time though when you saw it was just Sphere and Wolf, sitting at the entrance of the cave.

You brought your hands to your heart, feeling the intense pumping underneath your chest as you tried to calm your breathing, “Dammit guys, don’t scare me like that.”

They stared at you, not really moving or doing anything. Well, Sphere kind of always just stares since she doesn’t have a face. But, Wolf looked weird. Instead of laying down and relaxing like he normally does, he just sat there on his hind legs, as if he was standing guard or something.

“Alright, you two are officially acting weird. But, I’ll just chuck it up to the power outage. Don’t worry, they make me nervous too. I’ll figure it out.” You said to them, neither really responding. Not that you’d understand anyway. That was more up Conner’s alley.

You let the flame encircle your hand again, as you looked at the walls to see the cable paths and where they led. As you traced their lines up and around the walls, you finally saw where they all converged, seeing multiple different panels lining the wall.

“Bingo.” You smiled.

Walking over to the different panels, you looked at the different labels to see which was which. When you found the one labeled ‘POWER’, you put in the code to unlock the panel, opening it up. You checked the fuses to see which one had been blown, but they all appeared fine. 

Your sinking feeling started to return as you couldn’t figure out what the problem was until you saw it clear as day, and the hairs on the back of your neck stood up as a result.  The switch for the power generator was in the ‘Off’ position.

A fuse wasn’t blown nor was this the outage. Someone deliberately shut the power off.

“Ah, fuck!”

You felt your heart jump in your chest when a hand suddenly grabbed you from behind while another came up to cover your mouth, your screams muffled under their palm. Whoever your attacker was attempted to pull you back as you fought against them, wrapping their arm around your neck while you were doing everything you could to throw them off of you. 

Your hands flew to their arm around your neck to pull as you felt them tightening it, restricting your airflow. A familiar chuckle sounded in your ear, but you were too focused on getting yourself free to think about it. They had caught you by surprise, but you’d be damned if you were going to let them think they had you so easily.

Hands glowing bright orange, you took them and aimed for what you hoped was the person’s face. Your attempt was successful as you felt one of your hands make contact, your attacker screaming in pain while releasing you to probably rub their face. 

Wasting no time, you leaned forward before launching yourself around and performing a roundhouse kick straight to their face, not giving them any time to recover.

They fell back on their butt, hands still covering their face. You didn’t pay attention to their clothes or anything about them as your arms began to grow that orange hue again, preparing to roast them like a Thanksgiving turkey.

“Alright buddy, I don’t know who you are, but you choose the wrong place to trespass and the wrong person to attack,” You said, getting ready to release a volcano level of heat upon them before you finally saw their face when they brought their hands away.

“Conner!” You shouted, pausing in your movement.

The half-Kryptonian looked at you for a brief moment before you saw a smirk on his face as he launched himself at you with his usual shout, taking advantage of your hesitation.

You grunted as he tackled you back onto the ground. His hand immediately went for your neck again as you saw an arrogant but lustful gaze on his face.

‘Guess the serum didn’t wear off completely after all,’ You thought to yourself as you wrapped your hands around his wrist, trying to pull the hand off of you. You felt his other hand tracing down your body, but considering this time you were in shorts and a tank top, you were more receptive to the touch as he was now getting to feel your bare skin without the barrier of your super suit.

The feeling was nice, but you weren’t going to let yourself go down that road. You would not allow yourself to be played with like that. Not again…

“Sorry for this Conner,” You said quickly, a confused expression crossing his face before he watched your eyes also glow bright orange, two beams of concentrated fire shooting out of them and directly into his eyes. He screamed in pain, releasing your neck as you brought back your foot and kicked him off you.

While he recovered, you got back up and ran to the power generator. You switched the power back on, watching as the lights came back. Your moment of reprieve was short-lived though as the Superboy had recovered and was coming right for you. 

You reacted quickly enough though, grabbing the hand that was reaching out for you before swinging your body under him with his arm, twisting it behind his back. He yelled out in pain while you blasted him forward to the ground.

His frustrated breaths filled the silent room as he got himself back up. He slowly turned himself back to face you, a calculating expression on his face. 

Conner? Calculating his next move? Instead of just rushing you?

Yeah, it was time for you to go.

When the Kryptonian realized you were about to move, he tried to rush you again but you had blasted yourself off the ground. Moving to head back through the hallway to the central hub where you saw Sphere and Wolf just looking at you. Again, Sphere had no expression, but you could tell by Wolf’s stance that he was prepared to pounce if you even thought about going that way. That’s when you understood.

“So you two are playing guard dog and guard…sphere, huh? Figures.” You muttered. 

Wolf huffed at you, not appreciating that comment.

The sound of a crash behind you caught your attention as you turned and saw Conner had launched himself onto the wall, hanging off it like a monkey hung off a tree. 

‘For the guy who hates monkeys, he sure enjoys acting like them.’ You thought to yourself.

You realized your predicament when you looked at both your only exits. Try to go out one way, and you’ll have a wolf and an alien sphere that can turn into an entire bike on you. Try the other way, and Conner gets his hands on you.

And even if you managed to make it past Sphere and Wolf without getting maimed, what stopped the Kryptonian from just shutting off the power again before you reached the Zeta tube?

The predator and his cornered prey.

The flames waving off your body were the only sound in the room, as you stared at Conner head-on. 

He looked back at you with a challenging gaze before taking his free hand and pointing at you, and then turning those same fingers to himself. His way of basically saying you belonged to him. How romantic…

“Sorry, Tiger. But, I prefer a few dates and gifts before I commit myself to someone. My ex taught me that.”

The Kryptonian growled angrily at your words, not appreciating the sentiment of you insulating yourself with another person. And though you kept a bit of distance between you, you could tell Conner was waiting for the perfect opportunity to nab you.

With everyone gone, he didn’t have to worry about anyone besides yourself trying to stop him. And apparently, he didn’t think you were going to be that much of a challenge. Or did he? Considering he tried to ambush you by shutting off the power, which speaking of?

All of this seemed a little bit too planned out and smart for someone with a primitive brain. Not to sound like you were calling the Kryptonian stupid, because you weren’t, but if what Batman said was true and Conner was really thinking like a primate from the caveman days, then how did he figure this all out? 

Waiting until everyone left before shutting off the power to prevent you from leaving? Cornering you in a room where one exit would be out of commission without power and using Wolf and Sphere to guard the only other escape route? And, even if you were to make it past those two and hide somewhere, he could just use his night vision and super-hearing to find you.

It was all too convenient, too thought out to have come from a subdued and horny-crazed mind.

Had the effects of the serum only slightly worn off, keeping Conner in this primal state of mind but giving him just enough cognitive thinking to actually plan out his moves? Could it even be possible that this was actually the Kryptonian himself acting on his own urges, and not being persuaded by some sex juice pumping through his veins?

You looked toward the Superboy hanging off the wall, seeing the way his dilated pupils stared at you, full of lust and want. All of his attention was on you as he gazed at your body up and down. 

Then, you remembered something else Red Tornado had mentioned before he and Batman left for the Watchtower.

“As we concluded earlier, Conner, instead of focusing on his natural instinct to hunt and kill, chose to focus on his hormonal urge of capturing a potential mate. And, Y/N apparently had been his choice. Certain wild species are known for choosing their partners based on mating rituals where the dominant has to prove themselves capable to the desired partner by hunting and subduing them. Smells are also a major factor in these rituals, where these animals are known to go after the scent that is most familiar and desirable to them. Though, why that scent happened to be Y/N’s would be a question only Conner could answer.

So basically, the Kryptonian was the hunter, and you were the hunted.

And he set all this up as a test for himself to prove to you that he deserved the right to fuck your brains out.

The predator and his cornered prey. How cliché.

This was a game to the Kryptonian. And what would happen if he’d won?

Conner would get to fuck you, the serum would wear off and everything would go back to normal? And who’s to say the Kryptonian might even remember the encounter? 

There’s been plenty of times when you and the Team came out from under a drug or some spell and didn’t remember the events that led you all there. You’d keep all the memories of this exchange while Conner wouldn’t recall a thing, thus, for him, nothing would be weird or awkward. Only you would have to deal with the emotional aftermath of these entire events. Yeah, your friends would be there to help, but it wasn’t them having their hearts and emotions played with, it was you. They wouldn’t understand.

Nah, fuck that.

No matter how hot all of this may be, you were not about to be some one and dump for anyone, even if it was your crush.

Conner stared at you, waiting for you to make the first move. You saw the glow of your body reflected in his eyes, but it was also like you were seeing the fire inside of him that burned for you.

It was pleasant, to say the least.

But, this was once again a cat-and-mouse scenario like earlier. Only this time, you knew the longer the chase went on, the more excited the cat got at finally catching the mouse.

Due to the circumstances surrounding the situation, you could easily see Conner was willing to play the long game. Shutting down the Cave, using Wolf and Sphere as accomplices to this whole thing, cornering you in the vehicle hangar, he was willing to let this play out as long as possible. As long as it ended with him getting to mount you like some dog.

No offense to Wolf.

And, waiting till everyone was out of the Cave? Not having to worry about anyone interfering since there was virtually no way to get back inside the HQ without blowing a hole in the mountain, which also would alert the Kryptonian, thus giving him enough time to make a swift exit with you if need be.

��Nope. It ain’t going down like this.’

Conner tilted his head when he saw you slowly backing up. He could tell you were up to something. 

Before he had time to react, you shot off all the energy you could summon to create a giant firewall. You knew it wouldn’t hold him since he was invulnerable. But, you were counting on the distraction it would give you.

You flew back as if you were going to fight your way through Sphere and Wolf who were ready for you. When you heard Conner’s scream behind you as he launched himself through your wall straight for you before dodging out of the way, letting him crash straight into Wolf and Sphere while you made a break for the hatch door. 

Not wasting any time, you immediately went for the control panel to the garage hatch door and entered the command to open it. You didn’t have much time though as you’d hoped when Conner realized your deception. And he was not happy about it if the frustrated yell he let out was anything to go by. 

Slowly backing up as the door opened more, you let off a torrent of fire waves at the Kryptonian as he tried to make his way toward you. His shirt got more and more singed as he pushed through your power attacks. You didn’t let up though, needing the door to open just a few more inches for you to get through.

Why was it on any other day, things like this door seemed to move faster, but when you needed them to move quickly, they went slow as hell?

‘Come on… come on…’

As soon as the door was open enough for you to fly through, you shot one strong fire beam at the Kryptonian to push him back as you flew backward, moving as fast as you could.

When you made it through the hatch, you let your power go as you flew out of the Cave, making your escape. You felt relief run through your body as you looked at the night sky and the moon shining over the ocean, but that feeling was short-lived.

You’d gotten about 50 feet away though before you felt a strong force tackle you down before lifting you back up, stopping you from hitting the ground. Turning your head, you looked to see Conner staring at you with a smug look as he held your squirming body in his arms, you both floating high above the ground.

“Conner?! Ho- … How are you flying?”

As far as you knew, because he was only half-Kryptonian, he only got half of Superman’s abilities. The only way he could unlock all his powers was using one of those patch things that subdued the human side of his DNA and – oh.

FUCK!

He tucked you under his arm without a second thought, having you face toward his back before flying back through the garage hatch door. You did everything you could to get out of his hold, but there wasn’t much you could do to the Kryptonian since he was invulnerable, especially now that he was at full strength.

When he got you both back inside, he entered the command to close the hatch door before smashing the panel entirely, rendering the door useless. But, he wasn’t done there. 

Using his own heat vision, he created a seal around the edges of the door, locking and securing you both inside even more just in case your teammates got back and tried to force it open. He even zapped your butt with it as well, chuckling at the yelp you let out.

Once he finished that, he let you down before backing you against the wall, an egotistical smirk on his lips as he rubbed his hands down your body. He didn’t waste any time before shoving his face right into your neck again, licking and biting wherever he could as he forced your body to grind against his.

‘Not this again.’

It took a little work, but, to your luck, since Conner was overconfident thinking he’d won, his guard was down.

With a little maneuvering, you let the Superboy feel the blunt force of your knee against his super jewels. Pun intended.

Kryptonian or not, that’s a type of weakness no guy can overcome.

With him crouched over in pain, you shoved him off before attempting to fly back toward the main tunnel. If you couldn’t get out of Mount Justice on your own, the best you could do was find somewhere to hide until the others got back.

But, Conner still wasn’t letting you get away from him that easily. He grabbed you by your ankle before pulling back and throwing you to the ground, managing to disorient you like earlier when the MONQI robots had dropped you. He placed himself on top of you to pin you down but you didn’t come this far to give up now. 

You shot your heat vision at the brown-haired boy’s eyes again, missing by a few inches but snagging him in the face. Visibly angered by this and done with your defiant behavior, he wrapped his arms under you to lift you from the ground and slam you back down, prolonging your daze. You continued to fight back though, especially when you noticed something metallic and shiny he grabbed off his belt.

How you didn’t notice it there before, who knows.

And quite frankly, you didn’t really care. 

All you were concerned about was not letting him get it on you. You quickly blasted him some more with your heat vision doing everything you could to shove him off you. Almost managing to succeed too until Conner got the upper hand when he ripped his tattered shirt off his body and covered your face with it. Your heat vision burned right through it, but your temporary blindness provided the Kryptonian with the opportunity he needed to slam whatever that metal thing was around your wrist.

The moment it snapped shut, you felt a shudder run through your body as a chilling sensation took over. Next thing you knew, the flames around your body and the glow in your eyes had completely dissipated.

‘What the…’

You tried to summon a fireball, heat blast, or even a tiny little flame with nothing happening, your powers seemingly gone. Conner, who was now completely straddling your body, held another smug look on his face as his accomplishment. That’s when you looked at the wrist clamp the Kryptonian put on you, seeing the blue dot glowing at the center of it. Whatever was blocking your powers was being caused by this device, which meant this could only be one thing.

“Huh, so Batman did have an insurance policy for me. Great…” You muttered, hearing a satisfied chuckle from Connor. Your eyes went wide when you realized something.

“You were awake earlier! You were awake the whole time. You heard me and Wally talking!” You accused, but the half-Kryptonian didn’t reply. Only continued to stare at you, not hiding how his eyes crawled up and down your body which was covered in a fair amount of sweat from your earlier brawls.

You tried to see if you could knock him off while he was gloating, hoping the combat Batman and Black Canary taught you didn’t fail you at this moment, but the brown-haired boy was once again ten steps ahead of you as he grabbed both your arms, slamming your upper body back down to the ground.

A frustrated cry left your lips as you stared up at the boy who was still gloating as he reached into his pockets while pinning your hands above you. Looking down, you saw him pull out a pair of metal handcuffs, and not any regular kind either. These were League-style restraints that were almost impossible to break through or escape.

“Don’t you even think about it,” You warned as he smirked at you before moving off your body to flip you around on your stomach. 

A pleased growl left his lips as he watched your thrashing body move on the ground, trying to escape his hold. He placed himself above your squirming legs holding them together while conveniently positioning his crotch right above your ass where you could feel him rubbing his hardness against you.

It was all you could do to not moan out loud while trying to calm the horniness down in your own body as you felt the Kryptonian ground himself against you. Of course, this little distraction tactic of his was purposeful as he brought your arms behind your back, placing your wrist into the handcuffs to bind your hands together.

With you fully secured and nowhere to run, Conner took a moment to admire his prize, unconsciously puffing his chest out at his successful capture. You could feel his excitement as well as he continued to grind his front into your rear end, leaning over your body to nip at the back of your neck.

You did your best to hold in your noises of pleasure in plain, not wanting to give any more smug satisfaction to the Kryptonian. Of course, he didn’t appreciate this sentiment one bit, moving off you to flip your body on its back before moving himself in between your legs. His hands found their way back to your hair and around your waist as he yanked your head back, exposing your neck to him while lifting your lower body slightly off the ground to rub both your crotches together.

The moan that escaped your lips was almost inevitable from the friction you felt between your legs as he ground your pelvises together while having a field day on your neck. 

With you fully bound and virtually defenseless, nothing was stopping him from having full access to your body. You tried your hardest to ignore the pleasurable feelings running through different areas of your body, but it didn’t do much as you felt yourself getting wet in your pants again.

It didn’t help that your clothes were fairly thin which he definitely appreciated if the way his hand around your waist was caressed your body said anything. A bonus for him but a negative for you was the Kryptonian’s shirtless state allowing you to feel the heat from his skin against yours even through the loose garments of clothing on your body.

You could smell the dark brown-haired boy’s musk, which was amplified slightly due to his mild sweaty state from your earlier scuffle. While you were never one who liked the smell of funk, you couldn’t help that the scent for whatever reason went straight down to your pants, making you even wetter than before which the Kryptonian could also feel from his skin rubbing against the dampening spot on your shorts.

Suddenly, he quickly leaned up with his hands still holding onto your head forcing you up with him. He’d made sure to grab his shirt off the ground before pinning you against the wall. You groaned from the rough treatment as you felt his hands grabbing at your tank top before you heard a loud ripping sound, looking down to see Conner had split your tank top apart.

“Hey! This was one of my favorites, you freaking brute.” You complained.

He tore a large piece of your shirt off before sticking it in your face, letting out a small grunt as he waited for you to do something. You stared at him confused for a few seconds until you realized what was happening. He was ordering you to open your mouth so he could gag you.

“Oh, you’re out of your geno-morphing mind if you think that’s happening.” You retorted with a defiant tone, the Kryptonian narrowing his eyes at you.

Before you knew what was happening, he grabbed your jaw with the torn piece of your shirt in his hand, forcing you to tilt your head up before his other hand laid a heavy smack on your ass causing you to yelp.

The moment your mouth flew open, he stuffed the shirt into your mouth, muffling the sound of your scream. You thrashed around more in his hold, trying to spit the piece of clothing out but he pressed his body against yours rendering you still.

While holding the first piece of cloth in your mouth to keep you from spitting it out, he grabbed his torn shirt, craftily using his hand to twist it into a tight long piece like people do with wet towels before proceeding to snap them at you like their whips.

He placed his twisted shirt directly on the cloth between your open lips, before wrapping both ends around to the back of your head, tying them together in a tight knot, securing your makeshift gag in place.

The Kryptonian let out his own bodily sounds of approval and arousal at the sight of your helpless and available body. 

With your arms restricted and mouth gagged, it was easy for him to sling you back over his shoulder, with you whining from finding yourself back in the same position you were in earlier. He stepped over the mess you two (well, really you) made, not even bothering to clean it up.

You were still moaning and whining softly into the garment stuff in your mouth, as you tried to calm the growing arousal in your abdomen. Conner smiled proudly at that, feeling pride at the thought that he was the source of your aroused and excited state. before heading back over to the switch panels, shutting the power down in the Cave again.

Now, it was time for him to claim you fully, without any more distractions or interruptions.

‘Mine,’ He softly growled, squeezing your ass with his hand as he walked up the ramp, your head and body slightly bouncing up and down with every step the Kryptonian took. He walked past his two-door guardians who turned to follow after having bared witness to your entire pornographic display with their half-human companion.

Conner won, and you’d failed. He managed to catch you in his trap, despite all your efforts of resisting him.

The predator had finally caught its prey.

☀️ | Conner Kent/Superboy | ☀️

☀️ | Masterlists | ☀️

Patreon link for the full version!

🦍 | Part Three | 🦍

[unabashed-lover-of-fictional-men]

So this came to me because I currently have a crummy crusty head cold and I feel like garbage, and I thought how would my favorite fictional characters act or what would they do if you had a cold or were sick. Enjoy!

Dean Winchester:

He’s always hated when you’re sick, even though you never say anything he can tell you don’t feel good

Catching you falling asleep, he’ll always scoop you up and bring you to your shared room, putting you under the covers.

He’ll go and grab some extra blankets in case you throw off the covers and then end up getting cold.

Getting some cozy soft socks and a soft fuzzy sleep eye mask he sets out some aspirin and various cold medication

Once you wake from your nap or are just lounging in bed, he’ll make you whatever you want to eat normally: grilled cheese and tomato soup or some chicken noodle soup.

Eventually he’ll join you in bed not caring that he could get sick himself, and if he does he knows you’ll be his sexy nurse

And he’ll always remember to buy plenty of ice cream (your favorite flavor of course) and pie so you can both share.

He will do anything to help you feel better, even reading that “slutty whore book” out loud, watching you smile as he reads a particularly filthy part. Smirking at you he tells you that when you’re feeling better it's time to re-enact some of these scenes.

Bucky Barnes

He was used to Steve being sick all the time when they were younger, but you were different. You always tried to be strong and not let on you were sick until you were super sick.

He would watch you trying to work and dozing off, your head would drop and then you would wake up looking miserable

Frowning he would walk over to you and carefully pick you up and carry you to you room, putting you in some soft and warm pajamas

He would take your temperature and if too warm would use his metal arm to cool you down, making sure to keep a heavy blanket nearby just in case.

Would cook you his Ma’s famous chicken noodle soup, he made it all the time for Steve and if he liked it so would you

Hearing your wheeze breath and your clogged nose made him think of Steve and he would always get some hot water and a towel to help clear your sinuses

If you had a cough he would get you the same cough syrup he would get for Steve amazed that they still made it, and would make sure you would take it

Baking cookies just because he knew they were your favorite, and hoping you can taste them.

Steve Rogers:

Hearing you cough or sneeze always brought back bad memories from pre serum times

He always heard the wheeze, cough, or sniffle first before you even knew you were sick, so he would stock up on supplies

Buying your favorite snacks, he would set everything up in your bedroom. He would make sure Tony would get all the streaming services so you could watch anything you wanted too.

Getting a nice hot bath together, he would use your favorite bubble bath, light your favorite candles and put on some of your favorite music

Buying you the softest, warmest pajamas he could find he also got some cooler clothes in case you got too warm

After the bath he would carry you to bed, watching you slide under the covers he sits on the bed and listens to your day until you trail off and fall asleep

He would pick up any prescriptions or any cold medication you would need, always double checking if you wanted anything else (snacks, ect) before coming home

Sometimes if you had trouble sleeping he would tell you stories about him and Bucky, silly things that happened, sometimes maybe serious things too.

Ransom Drysdale:

He wants you to stay far away with him, keeping your runny nose away from his trademark sweaters

Initially hearing you cough and sniff at night when trying to sleep annoys him, after the third night he feels bad for you and calls for a private doctor to check you out.

After finding out you're legitimately sick, he buys you a cashmere throw and has an actual masseuse come in to help you relax.

Setting up the guest house just for you to recover in, no expenses spared anything you need he gets no matter how outlandish or expensive.

He’ll cater in your favorite foods from anywhere, that gelato you loved? It’s flying in from Italy, that spicy ramen you had years ago? Just arrived still hot

Grabbing one of Harlan’s books he will sit with you in the guest house bedroom and read to you, but will deny it if you tell anyone, but enjoys seeing your reaction to the twist at the end.

He will make sure any type of medicine you need is yours. Pharmacy closed? Not anymore. Now its open 24/7

While he initially avoided you before he now knows you are really sick and demands you let him hold you, otherwise he just scowls at you.

[hainethehero]

Oh, I feel like it’s so interesting that Steve (in the movies) has always been portrayed as more or less a more passive person when it comes to many things.

There’s a difference in how he’s portrayed when he gets the serum vs when Peggy gets it in what if.

Peggy is immediately effective and trailblazes her way to getting stuff done.

Steve spends a while being on USO doing performances with the USO girls. He literally is still doing it when he arrives in Italy and the soldiers boo him and throw tomatoes (poor thing). He’s like super sad about it and spends a few hours drawing in the rain until Peggy finds him and convinces him to do something about it.

I feel bad for him because while he is quick to defend others and yes get in fights in alleys, I feel like that only happens if he sees someone else in distress and he feels he should stand up to them despite probably not being super helpful because he was always half the size of whatever bullies he tried to stand up to 🤣.

But as a whole, for himself, Steve more or less just goes through life and does what he has to go on and or what is asked of him.

Nobody appeared to ask him if it was cool that he just woke up from 70 years of being frozen and then had to join and the lead the Avengers initiative. Tony/ironman fans like to give him a hard time because he didn’t react well to Tony in the beginning but Tony has a snarky quick wit that Steve doesn’t really have (lol) so he’s not really able to have much equal banter arguments with people like Tony.

People will clown on Steve in that one scene and say he got owned by Tony but personally I don’t think Steve’s personality is much of a debating and shit talker.

He gets flustered talking to Peggy and she makes a comment that he doesn’t know how to talk to women and he just sheepishly agrees. She is later mean to him after she thinks he “cheated” on her but really he just got ambushed by the other girl - and he’s like 😵‍💫 and I also feel like that was a little unnecessary from her.

The Colonel calls him a chorus girl and basically demeans him because he doesn’t get what it’s like for the guys actually fighting on the field and poor Steve is like 😞.

Then during civil war he actually does get angry and defensive towards Tony but then in the parking lot when he’s trying to explain that there’s more winter soldiers in Siberia Tony just interrupts him and then the rest of the team just basically tells him “do you really want to start this right now?” That scene kind of bothered me because literally no one was listening to him. He didn’t really try to make them understand which was also a choice. I don’t know why sometimes the scripts write him to basically stand there and be a punching bag and yet he’s supposed to be standing up to bullies. But not for himself? Only when it’s other people? So who sticks up for him?

Also - I may add that originally Steve was hoping to go talk to Tony after finding out about the Zeno and other winter soldiers stuff. Sam is the one who tells him Tony won’t believe him and then Steve’s like “we’re on our own 😞” but then Sam suggests an idea that he knows someone (indicating bringing antman in and Clint and etc starting the teams stuff).

Some people claim Steve made the avengers choose sides but he wasn’t even going to ask anyone for help. It’s kinda sad he sometimes gets blamed for this when he was going to go alone just like he was during The whole azzano rescue thing.

Then in endgame obviously Tony is still pissed at Steve even though Steve did apologize and gave him a flip phone to call him if he needed help. Even Bruce told Tony to do it during infinity war but he doesn’t LOL.

Then he blames Steve for not being there and yells at him and Steve is like 😞😞😞

And the whole rest of the film, after they make up, Steve is visibly not trying to get Tony mad. Like you can tell in the later team up scenes between them that Steve is holding back and avoids arguing as much as he can and doesn’t want to trigger more anger from Tony since they had just made things okay. There’s a scene with antman and Tony and they’re arguing and Steve is kind of just there. As he mostly is throughout the whole movie.

I think Steve is a soft hearted sweet person at heart and sometimes I feel they disrespect him a bit too much in the movies. And they don’t really have him do any retaliation that would help justify his case.

I feel like marvel owes him a whole ass apology and also needs to leave him alone forever. Stop bringing him up in later movies and trying to rewrite his history when you already wrote him out of the storyline. And can people stop making jokes about him being a virgin or not? So tired at this point!

This person gets it 👏👏👏

Steve's character design was definitely way more submissive than any other male hero in the MCU. And I think it's a lot of the things you mentioned already.

I'll try to give the whole bullying thing perspective though. (not to get morose & depressing on main) but as someone who was physically ab*sed by their mother, like violently, I often times would not stand up for myself but was the first to step up to protect my friends or even complete strangers. (Maybe that's 2nd nature to me as an aries) but I think it's the same for Steve.

Canonically, his dad was very violent and abusive towards him and his mother. And Steve would ask her "why don't you ever stay down?" so that Joseph would stop hitting her, but she tells him, "bc you always stand up." Or something to that effect. Which is why I think it's easy for him to see bullying when it's other people, but not against himself. It's trauma. And unacknowledged trauma at that, because the MCU never addresses all the things that would've traumatized Steve, not extensively in the Captain America trilogy and CERTAINLY not in the Avengers films.

Also, that whole thing with Peggy shooting at him because of Lorraine kissing him, yeah, she overreacted. In any other circumstance that would be seen as toxic but somehow because it's Steve, that makes it okay. Ugh.

I've always said this and I'll say it again, the MCU wanted to make Tony the ultimate hero of the MCU and they did it at the expensive of Steve's character development. [I'm a Tony fan don't @ me] but it's so obvious they wanted Tony's character to be the ultimate star, which would've been fine if they showed Steve even half of the respect.

J*ss Whedon, who did Avengers 1 & 2, definitely put Steve's character on that trajectory because he was reported saying he "didn't like Captain America" and that came across in the films he did. He's responsible for starting that whole diminishing of Steve's character. The Russos are the only ones who did Steve justice.

And as for Infinity War/Endgame- 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

Those are my least favourite mcu og6 films. Because you're absolutely right! I have no problem with Steve being submissive, but they made Steve almost cowardly compared to Tony when they reunited in Endgame. Like Steve was afraid to challenge him. Like if Steve was wrong in the first place!

Steve was right in CACW! He knew how dangerous it would be to be controlled by the government! He's living proof of why the Accords was NOT A GOOD IDEA! The ONLY thing he was wrong about was not telling Tony about his parents. But even then, it was not Bucky's fault. It was HYDRA.

Tony got emotional and irrational and decided to break up the team over something that was secondary to their main concerns, which was Ross & the Accords. Mind you, the only reason he was supportive of the Accords is because of some lady telling him her son was killed by their actions in Sokovia and how he was reminded of his own legacy as a weapons dealer and the so called "merchant of death." So, selfishly, he decides to make the decision for the rest of the Avengers and agree to the Accords when it should've been a non-negotiable issue in the first place.

And yes, Tony is selfish because Peggy died around the same time they were discussing the Accords and he didn't even care about it. Steve is lost. He's desperately trying to save the ONLY person who knew a damn thing about him from the past, Bucky. And at the same time, he lost Peggy, the only other person who would've known him. Someone who he could relate to. But somehow, everyone else's needs and emotions come secondary to Tony's.

I could go on a whole six hour rant about this😮‍💨

[horsetailcurlers2]

more regina mills headcanons I beg, also, unrelated but how do you feel about dragonqueen ?

ahhh i’m sorry this took so long to answer. it took me a while to try to come up with more lol. i have many but most of them are just kind of half formed thoughts floating around my brain atm. so this will not be nearly as long as my other regina hc posts.

-first off i LOVE dragonqueen. i like all my other regina ships with a little past dragon queen. i think that was very important relationship for regina for sure. stuck in a miserable marriage, being taught magic by rumple who was mercurial and manipulative, i think it was important for regina to have someone like mal. not only to be her friend (or her special lady friend if you catch my drift) but also to teach her more about magic and give her another perspective on it besides rumple’s or cora’s.

-also they fucked in the vault in season 4

-this is random but i just feel like regina can hold her liquor really well

-this is basically canon bc of her apple tree but regina has a really green thumb. i feel like after everything starts settling down she starts growing a real vegetable garden. she gets really into it. bringing baskets of tomatoes and shit to snow and david. sending everyone home with squash every time they come over. she sends henry care packages at college full of produce and he’s like “i live in a dorm there’s not much i can do with this but thanks.” she probably has a floppy hat (but like a classy one).

-this one is so fucking random but hear me out. okay so when i was 10 i went to summer camp and we didn’t have computer or phone access so we had to write letters home. when my mom was buying paper for me to bring she bought me a pack of neon rainbow lined paper because if she bought me regular paper it would be like i was “writing letters home from prison.” for some reason i just feel like regina has the exact same energy about sending henry to college.

-i think she’s one of those women that has a very specific skincare routine but not like the 24 step tiktok ones with all the serums and gadgets. like, you know those older women that insist cold cream is the answer to everything? it’s like that.

-she does the sunday crossword every week in pen. (in my mind, the daily mirror has a sunday crossword)

[sjsmith56]

Two Steps to the Left - Part 2

Summary: The interrogation of Arnim Zola gets the information needed for Steve and Bucky to perform their mission of retrieving the serum.

Length: 3.6K

Characters: Colonel Phillips, Arnim Zola, Peggy Carter, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes.

Warnings: Arnim Zola (lying POS), WW2 Bucky feeling left out of the loop.

Author notes: Bucky is starting to believe in his abilities and that he won’t become something dark, but there is still some mistrust.

<<Part 1

🪖 🪖

Interrogation Room

Knowing that Zola would have to be interrogated again on the subject of how much serum had been given to Bucky was the next step to be completed before the Howling Commandos could undertake the mission to retrieve the serum.  Although the voice said that Bucky and Steve could retrieve it together, even he admitted the mission stood a better chance of success if the whole team was involved.  The Colonel made it very clear that he would find out the dosage, especially now that he knew the diminutive doctor was a shrewd and manipulative character. 

With Peggy Carter beside him, they entered Zola's cell.  This time, the Colonel brought a tray of food better suited to the doctor's preferred vegetarian diet, lentil soup, whole grain bread and a jar of Marmite, along with a glass of tomato juice.  It was gratifying to see how Zola's eyes widened at the sight of the meal, considering how many previous meals he had barely nibbled at.  The Colonel pushed the tray towards him, smiling genially at the man, while Carter watched from the corner of the room.

"You took the trouble of making a vegetarian meal for me, Colonel?  I appreciate it."

"Well, we're not cruel, Dr. Zola," answered Phillips.  "You do need sustenance.  The cook tells me the lentil soup is quite good and that marmite, although an acquired taste, is liked by many of the Brits.  Go ahead, please, eat."  Zola took several spoonfuls of the soup, smiled and took another before looking up at the commanding officer.  "I do have some questions for you."

"I assumed as much," said Zola.  "What do you wish to know?"

"Exactly what did you do to Sergeant Barnes when he was your prisoner at the HYDRA factory?"

A slight hesitation as Zola lifted the spoon was the only indication that he hadn't expected that question.  Without making eye contact he responded.

"What makes you think I did anything to him?  Has he said anything?"

"No, nothing specific other than you experimented on some of the prisoners, but his behaviour has drawn some attention and after what happened last night ... well, let's just say the Sergeant may not finish the war in uniform."

Phillips and Carter observed the doctor carefully as he processed what was just said.  Putting his spoon down he opened the jar of Marmite and spread a thin layer on the bread, then bit into it, chewing it slowly, before sipping some of the tomato juice.  Only then did he look at the pair.

"What exactly happened?  I am a medical doctor.  Perhaps I can help."

"I doubt that," drawled the Colonel.  "Our doctors are sure it was something you did to him that put him in this state.  Quite frankly, after seeing what he is capable of most of them don't think he can be helped.  They wish to ship Barnes back to a nice psychiatric facility in the States, where he won't be a danger to anyone, except himself."

"He hurt someone?  That is most unfortunate."  Zola took a few more sips of his juice.  "We did give the Sergeant a new medication when we realized he was suffering from pneumonia.  Perhaps, it is a delayed reaction to it?"

"Like penicillin, you mean?" Carter spoke, then shook her head.  "It was over a year ago, Doctor.  I doubt the body would react to a medication that long after it was administered.  At least, that's what our doctors said.  Steve ... I mean Captain Rogers said it was like he was fighting ...."  She looked at the Colonel.  "Sorry, sir, it just slipped out."

Zola studied the looks between them, at the obvious way the Colonel glared at the woman for admitting that Barnes fought Captain America.  His mind whirled with excitement.  Even more than a year after the last serum treatment the benefits were still present in the Sergeant, enough for him to possibly injure the one man who had been a thorn in HYDRA's side since he rescued all those soldiers.  It was imperative that the Sergeant receive the remaining serum, as well as completing the reconditioning treatment to turn him into the Winter Soldier.  They wouldn't let him free to return to his lab but perhaps he could convince them to get the serum here.  The reconditioning treatment could be done later, after Barnes had received most of the serum, but not enough to lock the effects permanently which would prevent the reprogramming of the soldier's brain.  With the several HYDRA moles already in place in the American military, a memory suppression machine could even be set up at an allied base and the Sergeant's treatment continued in secret without the Allies even being aware of their true nature.  Without even thinking the doctor took an energizing breath then realized the pair were looking at him strangely.

"Doctor, is there something you're not telling us?"

Phillips' stare bore into the doctor.

"Well, yes," he stammered, pretending to be telling them this information, reluctantly.  "We did give the Sergeant an experimental treatment; nothing that harmed him, I assure you.  In fact, it was something similar to Dr. Erskine's initial plan for his serum; something that could help the human body heal itself quicker and more efficiently.  It seemed to do wonders for the Sergeant who was frankly in danger of dying but it was interrupted before it could be completed by the arrival of Captain America and the rescue of all the soldiers at the factory.  Perhaps, his body is at a stage of withdrawal where he needs the balance of the treatment."

"You mean you also have a serum like Dr. Erskine's?" asked Phillips, trying to add some excitement to his manner.  "How much does he need to complete the treatment?  I know how many vials we injected into Captain Rogers to achieve the results of his."

"Yes, I do, but you needed to infuse him with Vita Radiation after to activate the serum, am I correct?" countered Zola, effectively admitting he had access to intelligence on Project Rebirth.  "My serum does not require the radiation although I suppose it would draw out every last benefit if it were done all at once as the Captain's was.  We injected it on a daily schedule, with the initial plan to extend it to six months, allowing the body to adjust at a slower pace.  If, by the young lady's admittance, Sergeant Barnes was strong enough to affect Captain Rogers during an encounter, I would think we could double the dosage.  However, the serum is all in a lab in Germany.  Without it, I anticipate that the Sergeant's behaviour will continue to deteriorate."  He shook his head sadly, making sure he appeared to be concerned about Barnes' health.  "Such a sad outcome for a fine young man."

"How much serum are we talking about, Doctor?"  Phillips looked at him.  "Perhaps, we can send a team to retrieve it and bring back enough for the Sergeant.  I agree that the prospect of sentencing Sergeant Barnes to a lifetime in a psychiatric facility for what is obviously a medical issue vexes me."

"Perhaps I could trouble you for a pencil and paper," smiled Zola.

Peggy Carter stifled the ill feeling that Zola's smile brought up in her.  It was enough to make her vomit.  She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small pad of paper as well as a pencil, placing it on the table in front of the doctor.  As he drew it in closer and began to make calculations she stole a look at Phillips.  He seemed ready to lean over and knock the doctor's head off but glanced at her before resuming his troubled commander look.  After several minutes of calculations Zola wrote something down on several clean sheets of paper and pushed them towards the Colonel.

"There, that is my best calculation of how much serum Sergeant Barnes needs to lock in the benefits of the serum and be at a fully operational status.  I have also provided you with the location of my lab, along with the lock combination to get in and out quickly as time is of the essence if we wish to relieve the Sergeant of his dilemma."  Phillips reached out to take the slips.  "I only ask one thing."  Phillips stopped then looked at Zola without changing the position of his head.  "I wish to be present while he is undergoing the treatment.  I understand he doesn't trust me but as a doctor and a scientist, I feel it is important for me to be there for what is sure to be a momentous occasion."

Phillips grasped the papers then stood up and looked at the doctor.  "Of course, I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement."  He waved the slip of papers like he would a flag.  "Thank you, Doctor.  You've been most cooperative, and I'll make sure to tell my superiors that.  Enjoy your meal."

Phillips and Carter exited the interrogation room, where a trusted SSR captain and an MP waited.

"Once he's finished eating, I want him moved to another location," ordered Phillips.  "We're certain there are HYDRA agents in sensitive positions in both the American and British military so find the most innocuous installation and transport him there where he can't contact anyone or be tracked.  If Army Intelligence comes looking for him, I want them to know they have HYDRA moles that must be neutralized first.  Once you find that place you send me a coded location message.  I will reply when our mission has been accomplished."

Both soldiers saluted as the Colonel and Carter left with the location of Zola's lab and the amount of serum needed.  In the jeep on the way to the airfield where the Howling Commandos waited, they said nothing, as the driver wasn't cleared to hear any top-secret information.  He dropped them off in front of the stolen German aircraft, then drove a short distance away as Steve, dressed incognito and Bucky approached the Colonel and Peggy.  Handing them the information he gazed at Bucky with concern.

"Zola said the schedule for your dosage could be doubled but it would still take weeks.  He didn't disagree that all the serum could be given in concert with the Vita-Ray radiation treatment.  Seemed to think it would draw out every last benefit.  What does your voice say to that?"

Bucky waited for his counterpart's voice to make itself known.  Just as he was about to tell Phillips that the voice wasn't answering he heard him.

"Theoretically it should work just as Steve's did, but it is a copy of the original incomplete formula that was used on Schmidt, which is why they had to inject you over a period of time.  My medical colleague here would be willing to come and supervise the process, but he can't guarantee the results.  It would also have to be in secret because his appearance may cause concern."

"He can come here?" Bucky repeated.  "Would you come as well?"

There was no answer for a long time then he heard his voice.  "I'm not sure that's a good idea but my medical colleague says he would feel easier if I was there with him, just in case.  It's your call, Bucky."

Everyone was looking at him.  The whole balance of the mission was on him, a sergeant with some unstable serum setting up shop in his body.  Removing it wasn't an option.  His only real choice was to take the full treatment, but something was coming soon that he would be needed for, so the treatment had to be sped up.  He looked at Steve, whose impassive face showed that this was Bucky's decision.  He wasn't going to pressure him in any way, but he would support his friend, like he had done since Bucky finally confided in him.

"Alright, I'll undergo the same treatment," he said to the Colonel.  "The voice said he and a medical colleague are coming to supervise it, but it will have to be a secret location because of the colleague's appearance.  He also can't guarantee the results."

"Very well," said the Colonel, without question.  "While you're away, I'll contact Stark to set up the radiation chamber in a new location.  When you return, we'll go there.  Does your counterpart need any advance notice?"

"No, just let us know where the place is and when, and we'll be there.  Bucky?  No heroics from you and Steve on this.  No matter what you might see there, don't interfere.  Just go in and out then come back.  Got it?"

"Understood," he replied, then looked at everyone.  "Let's go."

As the aircraft took off, Colonel Phillips and Peggy Carter looked at each other, hoping this would go to plan.  The driver was waved over, and the pair climbed into the jeep to be taken back to their base.

The Mission

As the Commandos looked at the camp in front of them, Bucky repeated what his future counterpart said about getting in and out of the lab quickly.  They weren't to interfere with what was going on.

"What were his specific words?" Steve looked at his friend.

"No heroics from you or me on this."  Bucky saw a grin appear on Steve's face.  "No, he was quite specific that we get in, get what we came for and get out."

"Yeah, but he didn't say the guys couldn't do some damage."  The superhero waved his hand at the obvious purpose of the facility, as the work crews of what were obviously civilians lined up while guards with snarling dogs on leashes approached them.  "There's nothing stopping them from creating a diversion that might also allow a lot of these prisoners to escape.  You and I won't be involved.  We'll already be inside the lab."  He raised his eyebrows.  "I think your future Bucky just wanted to make sure that you and I stayed on the most immediate task.  Remember, at first, he said we could do it alone.  Then he agreed the Commandos could come.  Why else would he say that?"

Shaking his head, Bucky waited for the voice to counter what Steve just said but he remained silent.  With a resigned breath, Bucky nodded his head, then rolled his eyes as Steve gleefully went to the others and gave them the go-ahead to implement a plan they had already drawn up.  He returned to Bucky's side with a grin, then pulled his black headgear on, the need to hide his true identity necessary.

"Ready?  Race you to the fence."

He took off, and Bucky groaned then ran after him, still dealing with the realization that he could keep up with Steve, at least for a time.  Just as he began to slow down, they reached their destination, and Steve jumped up to the top of the observation tower, tossing the two guards over like they were trash.  Bucky finished the job, punching them for good measure then tied them up.  Both men took the weapons with them.  Just as they reached the second tower an explosion at the far side of the facility drew the attention of every guard near them, sending them running towards the scene.  Steve jumped up to the top of the next tower and tossed those two guards over then landed on the other side of the fence, waiting for Bucky to finish them off.  Both men grasped hold of the wire and pulled it apart, allowing room for Bucky to get through.  They ran towards the administration buildings, stopping along the way as teams of soldiers ran towards the obvious sounds of a gun battle.  Just as they were about to run, a hand on Bucky's shoulder startled him and he whirled around ready to shoot.  The obvious prisoner stepped back, holding his hands up.

"American?" he asked.  "Rescue?"

"American, yes.  Rescue, no."  Bucky looked at the man's disappointment then unloaded all the weapons he took from the tower guards, grabbing them off of Steve as well, and giving them to the prisoner.  "Hole in the fence.  There."  He pointed towards the second tower.  "Escape.  Go."

With understanding in his eyes, the man gathered the weapons close then ran to a nearby building, where an outer door opened then closed as he entered.  A few moments later it opened again to several armed prisoners leading the others towards the second guard tower.  As they encountered other guards, they engaged them in battle then distributed their weapons amongst the others.  Returning his attention to Steve they ran towards the building where Zola said his lab was and entered it, finding the door to the lab locked with a combination lock set into the door.  They dialled the correct combination and opened it, turned on the light and looked for the locker where the serum was supposed to be stored.  Finding it, Steve broke that lock with his hands and opened the doors.  Both men gasped when they saw all the serum that was sitting there, dozens of cases with six vials in each container. 

"There's enough here for many men," said Steve.  "Bucky, we can't let them keep it and it's too much to safely carry."

"Fuck.  Hey!  What are we supposed to do with all this serum?" he cried out, wanting an answer from the voice.

There was no answer and once again he was faced with the dilemma of it being his decision.  Grabbing a satchel, he took out what was needed for himself, then added several more cases, grabbing some lab coats and stuffing them in to cushion the cases.  Steve did the same then looked at all the serum that was left.  Noticing a Bunsen burner attached to a gas outlet, Bucky opened the valve and several others fully as Steve did the same then they retreated to the door of the lab.  Lighting an emergency lantern that was just outside the door, Bucky tossed it inside, watching as the fire spread.  The two men glanced at each other then began running towards the hole in the fence, where dozens of prisoners were lined up to get out.  Ignoring them, they both pulled another portion of the wire fence apart and burst through followed by other prisoners.  After quickly leaving them behind, the two men ran to the rendezvous point where they were joined by rest of the Howling Commandos, spread between two stolen motor cars, their faces flush with the knowledge that they had destroyed a Nazi concentration camp.  Jumping inside the vehicles, the order was given to return to the aircraft.  Along the way a large explosion occurred behind them and both Steve and Bucky smiled at each other, knowing they were the cause of it.  Their pilot started up the aircraft as they abandoned the vehicles and clambered on, taxiing it to the end of the runway.

"We got company!"

Steve and Bucky both looked out the cockpit window at several trucks of German soldiers approaching them.  The pilot applied full throttle then lifted off well before they had set up their anti-aircraft weapons.  Circling towards the west they were soon approaching the border with France, taking some flak from the defences there.  After Gabe successfully contacted the base in England they were left alone as they flew over the channel and prepared to line up for the runway.  In all that time, the voice never spoke a word until just as the tires made contact with the pavement.

"Good work."

"Where were you?" asked Bucky.  "You seriously expected that Steve and I wouldn't help them?"

The Commandos watched, having been read in on Bucky's future counterpart.

"No, I never expected that, but you still had to stay on mission.  History just never knew that the Commandos and either of you were involved in this.  We had to keep it that way.  You were a mystery Allied unit that helped a bunch of prisoners escape from a concentration camp that was also a site for human experimentation.  It was always going to happen, but the circumstances dictated how, and I didn't have the information to tell you that."

Bucky grunted, slinking back into the bench as the aircraft taxied towards a far building.  They were being picked up far away from prying eyes, transported directly to a camp where Colonel Phillips would advise him where he had to go for the full treatment.  One more step completed since that first step to the left that started this whole thing.

"Bucky?"

"What?"

"It's hard to be out of the loop but if I tell you too much too soon, then there's a good chance we don't get the outcome we want.  When I get there, you and I will have a private talk and I'll tell you everything that I'm permitted to tell you."

"Alright, I guess.  Tell me something.  Is Steve in your future just as impulsive as he is now?"  There was no answer.  "Bucky?" 

Still no answer.  Why didn't he answer?  Better yet, why didn't Steve from the future have a connection to this Steve?  There was no time to dwell on that as the aircraft came to a stop and the exit door was opened.  But it was definitely something he was going to bring up to his counterpart.

Part 3>>

Series Masterlist

[ronearoundblindly]

🍓: Dead character you want to bring back to life

☀️: Kiss/Marry/Kill the last character you wrote, the last character you saw on a post and the last character in your camera roll

😫 These were sooooooo difficult, Elle. WHY!!!! From this ask game.

🍓

Natasha Romanoff, which I did not come to lightly. Knee-jerk reaction was Steve Rogers, but if we're saying bringing them back from their canon death? A) Steve would be super-duper old, just saying, and B) then all I'd be doing is bitch slapping him until he died again.

Then I thought Tony Stark because I know the reasons he's dead are good and noble and whatnot, but I miss him and want Morgan to have her dad back.

However, they did my girl Nat dirty, and if the plot gods were ever gonna pull some fantasy magic bullshit to get someone back, it better be her. She stuck to her morals before she died. She made good choices even though they suuuuuucked. She deserves to come back.

☀️

Uh oh. I am in trouble with this one.

Nomad (but specifically Hideout!Steve), Chris Beck (The Martian), and pre-serum!Steve.

What the fuck am I supposed to do with this??? CHOOSE???

I'd rather eat glass, but fine, fine, it's a game. I'll play.

Kiss, Marry, Kill: There's a couple of roundabout arguments to be made here about how Nomad wouldn't exist without skinny!Steve and therefore if--and I'm not saying I would--I killed skinny!Steve it negates whatever I chose Nomad for. There's also the reality that whatever any of their situations are, all of them are in a good bit of danger and might freaking die anyway, but I digress...

I love me a good, practical man, so Chris Beck is way higher up on in this ranking than we might think. And for the record, I am absolutely thinking of this as face-value, the guy actually dies fr fr, no weird shit or cop outs.

Wait, and this is only a KISS? Like I don't even get to fuck another one???? Bullshit. I want a refund.

Damn, I already have one marriage I regret; I ain't gonna for 2-0.

...but it's HIDEOUT!STEVE...y'all don't even comprehend how difficult it is to know where that's going and make this decision. I am dying right now.

Alright, fuck it. Warning, you're not gonna like it, gang.

Here we go:

Kiss: Chris Beck Marry: pre-serum Steve Kill: Hideout!Steve

I am so, so sorry.

I can feel y'all's death glares from here, but my justification is this: Beck never did me wrong. He's just a scientist on his mission, working hard, and making the best with what he's got. Admirable, wonderful, and unavailable because he's in fucking space. Would I love to kiss him? Hell yeah. I'd fuck him too but no one asked. BUT, crucially, I would not be the highest (or even a top) priority in his life, so I can't marry him.

Nomad and/or Hideout!Steve--buddy, pal, would-totally-be-love-of-my-life--your shit is a mess.

You don't know if you even have a future. You're a goddamn fugitive. Even if you weren't a fugitive, you are about to have a whole thing about saving the UNIVERSE, and if that doesn't scream "it's complicated," I sure as shit do not know what does. Bless. You are in limbo, you are not a scientist, you will hardly be around, I love you, but die.

::dodges tomatoes and wrenches hurled at her head::

Skinny Stevie though, dearies, just think about it. This man would be so fucking devoted to you. He'd work so hard. He would take care of himself--at your encouragement, too--and live a long life, just quieter than the other two. That's what I want. After figuring out where my own priorities in love lie, that's what I need.

Thank you for asking!

[therapeutic007]

The Magical Journey of Skincare: A Comedy of Errors 🧴

Hey, fellow skincare enthusiasts (and those just trying to figure out what the heck to put on their face)! 🌟

So, I’ve been on this wild skincare journey, and let me tell you, it’s been more of a sitcom than a serene self-care routine. I figured I’d share a few highlights to motivate you to join me on this fantastical adventure—because if I can survive this, so can you!

The Great Cleanser Catastrophe: I once mistook my roommate’s oil cleanser for a body wash. Spoiler alert: my skin was glowing, but the rest of me was like, “Why do I smell like a salad?” 🥗 Lesson learned: always read labels!

Exfoliation Overload: In my quest for that “glass skin” everyone’s raving about, I went a little overboard. Let's just say my face ended up looking like a tomato had a rough night out. Now I know that less is more… unless you’re talking about pizza, of course. 🍕

The Mask Mishap: Tried a new sheet mask that claimed to be "intense hydration." Turns out it was so slippery that I ended up looking like a very confused fish trying to keep its balance. Who knew a facial could include cardio? 🐟💦

The Moisturizer Fiasco: I once mixed up my moisturizer with my boyfriend’s hair gel. Not my best look, but hey, I was shiny AND stylish! Who knew I could rock the “wet look” so well? 😎✨

So, why should you follow my blog? Because I’m here to document every hilarious mishap, every laugh-out-loud moment, and, of course, the occasional success story! Together, we can navigate this wild world of skincare, make bad decisions, and end up with our best faces forward (eventually).

Join me on this rollercoaster of creams, serums, and the quest for flawless skin. Who knows? You might just laugh so hard, your wrinkles will smooth themselves out! 😂💖

[aaalanasblog]

My June ‘Keep’ List 🌸

skincare, makeup, fragrances, bodycare, and foods I loved in May that I’m still using in June ✨

SKINCARE

Mediheal NMF Ampoule Mask

Paula’s Choice 10% Azaelic Acid w/ Salicylic Acid and Licorice Root

Torriden Dive In Cream

Experiment Beauty Buffer Jelly

Stratia Lipid Gold

Heimish Marine Care Eye Cream

Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum

Axis-Y Biome Radiating Essence

MAKEUP

rom&nd Better Than Cheek (Peach Chip + Fig Chip are my faves!)

Dior BACKSTAGE Powder-No-Powder

NARS Skin Tint w/ SPF 30

Benefit Playtint

Maybelline Sky High Mascara

my Revlon lash curler

my handy dandy MAC Lip Pencil in shade Cork

Givenchy Prisme Libre concealer

Rare Beauty Bronzer Stick

Pseudo Labs PHreckles

FRAGRANCE

Keiko Mecheri ‘UME’

Jo Malone Bitter Mandarin

Keiko Mecheri ‘DATURA BLANCHE’

BODYCARE

Naturium Mandelic Acid Body Wash (perfect for ppl like me who get night sweats)

Naturium Glycolic Acid Body Wash (KP, who?)

Naturium Bio-Lipid Body Lotion

Up and Up (Target brand) Vitamin E + Aloe Body Oil

TOPICALS Slather Body Serum (KP and stretch marks, who?)

TOPICALS Faded Body Mist (hyperpigmentation, where?)

Banana Boat SPF 50 Spray

Josie Maran Self-Tanning Oil

FOODS

Orange Creamsicle Protein Shake (should I drop this recipe? it’s so good 😭)

Braised Chicken

Roasted Sweet Potato w/ Flaky Salt

Sun-dried tomato + basil red lentil pasta

BBQ Steak Bites

Fonio

Collagen Gummies

Mediterranean rice bowls w/ seared chicken, cucumber, tomato, onion, and a greek yogurt sauce

Jeni’s Ice Cream (a girl needs a sweet treat, okay? lol)

What are some of your “keeps”? 🦋

[darklovecat]

summer essentials?

AHA 30% + BHA 2% peeling solution!

This product is versatile and can be used for a variety of skin-related issues, like hyperpigmentation, acne, scars, and uneven skin tone. However, in the summers I personally use it for my daily underarm botox fix. By applying the serum on my underarms and leaving it there for around 15 minutes before washing it off, I'm able to eliminate unpleasant smells and excessive sweating for the rest of the day. I live in an area with high temperatures during the summer, and white clothes is a common choice for me and I want to avoid any unpleasantness, that's why this product is a must-have for me.

A summer workout routine!

Exercising and working out is one of my favorite things to do, as it energizes me and gives me the results that I want. The first thing I do in the morning is get moving, and there's nothing quite like a good workout to start my day off right. During the summer months, I prefer focusing on building my glutes, toning my abs, and working on my overall physique, and I love some of Pamela Reif's videos. To achieve my fitness goals, I have curated a list of my favorite exercises and enjoy following videos along with my gym routine. Maintaining consistency in my workout routine is something I prioritize, I always focus on consistency and not results, which has helped me achieve all of my fitness goals.

A pair of hot girl sunglasses!

I recently purchased a handmade pair of sunglasses from Karl Wagner, and they are oval acetate and smaller than what I usually go for but quite nice. As someone who has had laser eye surgery and hates making eye contact with strangers, eye protection is especially important to me year-round, but particularly during the summer when the sun's harmful UV rays are stronger. And because the skin around my eyes is very thin, excessive squinting can lead to wrinkles, so I take extra care to shield my eyes from the sun's rays by applying a generous amount of sunscreen and sunglasses.

White tennis skirts!

Summertime calls for a wardrobe shift for me and I make it a point to switch out my darker skirts for lighter options in shades like baby pink and white. I find that these colors perfectly capture the essence of summertime and make me feel light and breezy. One of my favorite things about wearing white tennis skirts is that they go with just about any top, so I have endless outfit options to mix and match. To complete the look, I typically opt for white sneakers or sandals, both of which add a touch of freshness to the overall aesthetic. Whether I'm running errands, meeting up with friends, or simply lounging in the sun, these skirts provide the perfect blend of comfort, style, and versatility.

A deeper shade of foundation!

Nowadays, whenever I desire a sun-kissed complexion, I prefer making slight makeup modifications, I adjust my foundations between seasons instead of exposing myself to the sun's harmful UV rays. I have very light olive skin so a slightly darker foundation makes me look a lot healthier and gives me the look I love, I draw on faux freckles with a light brow eyebrow pencil and I'm generous with my blush. I recall the one instance in my life when I tried to get a tan on a deck in the height of summer. I ended up getting burned and turned into a ghastly tomato-red shade. The sight of my terrified me, and I applied ice packs and slathered aloe vera gel on my face every hour. That experience made me promise myself to never repeat that mistake again.

White dresses!

I have a serious addiction to white dresses, they're an essential part of my summer wardrobe. Every piece of item in my wardrobe tends to get boring after a while but not with my white dresses. They come in all sorts of styles, but nothing makes me feel more beautiful than a flowy white dress during the summer months. I love pairing it with a flowy chiffon hijab, cute earrings, and an ethereal makeup look. My absolute fave are empire waist dresses- they work wonders in emphasizing my waistline and elongating my legs. Plus, they give off a super chic and elegant vibe. The only downside is that these dresses are usually made of natural materials, so they tend to wrinkle easily throughout the day which drives me crazy but I'm trying my best to make peace with that.

Cat.

[achooro]

fall favorites

hello! as fall is nearing its end and winter is slowly creeping up I thought it would be the perfect time to showcase all of the items or things I have been enjoying this fall season.

Skincare/bodycare

Skin1004 centella serum:

As the weather transitions from warm to colder, it's important to keep our skin hydrated. Recently this serum has started to sell in Japan, so I took it as the perfect opportunity to try it out. To my surprise my skin loves it. It keeps my skin hydrated from start to end and is really light weight.

Lush Sticky Dates & Posh Chocolate Body Wash:

These two body washes are heavenly. I know that Sticky Dates is one of Lush's most popular items, but when I tell you that this makes your shower smell like sweet caramel.... I mean it. In combination with the Posh Chocolate body wash also makes your shower and skin smell amazing. It's very moisturizing and smells like I want to eat it. These two are the perfect fall/winter combination that nourishes your skin.

Lush Super Milk:

This is also one of Lush's most popular products, but it genuinely smells so creamy and lemony. Whenever I put this in my hair it always gets me compliments. Love love love this.

Perfume

Lush Turmeric Latte:

Whenever I tell people that the perfume I am wearing is from Lush, they are always taken aback. Yes, Lush makes perfume and they surprisingly last a long time on the skin and clothes. Turmeric Latte by lush is a warm spicy vanilla, gourmand scent that perfectly resembles fall. With notes like tonka bean, vanilla, and turmeric, the spicy kick with the sweetness of the vanilla sinks into the skin with a subtle comforting scent.

Movies

Recently I haven't been watching as many movies as I would like, I am big film person. Watching the visual eye candy and emotional dialogue makes the movie watching experience so special and personal.

Eternal sunshine:

I have seen this movie endless times before and it never fails to make me cry. Recently the 35mm film has been showing in theaters in Tokyo and I went to go watch it with my friend. Watching this movie in 35mm and in the theater made my watching experience like something I've never experienced before. The colors from the film and Jon Brion's score brought tears to my eyes by the end of the film and I walked out the theater a mess.

Julie & Julia:

As much as I enjoy movies, I also enjoy the art of cooking. I had seen clips of this movie on TikTok and it actually caught my attention. I remember seeing the clip of Julie saying she spent all her money in Dean & Deluca which I am also guilty of. You might notice that my rating for this movie is 3.5 stars, and the reason why is because a large part of this movie, as much of it is a real story, seemed very unrealistic? Loved the beautiful shots of the food though.

Music

This fall I've been playing this playlist on repeat. Especially the song Say You Love Me by Fleetwood Mac. I personally love rock music which is what is mostly in this playlist, and the drums in this song just scratches my head in the right place and always puts me in a good mood.

Book

I am currently reading Perfume by Patrick Süskind. I really want to become a reader but I find that I have little time to set aside to sit down and read. With the little time that I've had, I have enjoyed reading this book. Süskind is able to describe scents with such detail that I can perfectly imagine what he is describing. Every time I turn the page my jaw drops a little lower. It is truly an amazing read.

Food

This month I have been trying to explore different recipes. Recently I have been a big fan of Carter's Cooking, I subscribed to their substack and I have been thrilled to scroll and find a new recipe to try. One of my favorites from this month was the Tomato Ricotta Pasta. Such a super simple recipe that tastes delicious. The tomato and the creamy ricotta perfectly blend together. Me and my friend tried this recipe with handmade pasta, it was the first time for the both of us... as difficult as it was it was so much fun and surprisingly turned out delicious.

Carters Cooking: https://carterscooking.substack.com

Thank you

If you read until the end, thank you for taking interest in the things I have been enjoying this fall. Love you,

Roro

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I'll want to break down the chicken and beef into pre-marinaded freezer baggies with any roots or beans or sauces paired with them in a lil bundle of baggies, that way meals become as simple as popping a baggie set into a cast iron in the oven or on the stove. The last of the current priority garden, home, and body ingredients are in the mail, and I'm just waiting until I have the last of my salts and amino acids to mix them up.

Upcoming projects:

1) add compost cultivator to The Stacks now that there is a sizeable hay patch and an existing decomposition culture to support

2) Start tree seed trays (wild plum and black cherry)

3) Start greens seed trays (amaranth, turnip, beet, collard)

4) start shrub seed trays (Alleghany blueberry)

5) start wildflower seed trays (flax, marshmallow)

6) bury seed trays in coco coir and compost when The Stacks are fully decomposed

7) infuse olive oil with shea butter cubes, resins, cracked seeds, and salts in pourable cruets

8) break down chicken and beef into ready-prep single meal and bulk meal portions and freeze (burger/meatloaf mix, chili mix, carne asada, carne criolo, buttermilk chicken for battered cutlets, pulled chicken and ranch for pizza root-fries, kung pao chicken, green curry chicken, pulled chicken for matzoh soup, meatballs, lemon garlic chicken, ground beef crumbles, Date Night Steaks, sliced roast beef packets, jerky, BBQ for beans, dumpling filling, seasoned battered chicken for fried chicken strips and cheesy chicken pasta/veggie-noodle lasagnas, etc)

9) sauce tomatoes and freeze

10) bake a round of washing soda

11) ferment some rice for washing cakes and scalp scrubs

12) mix laundry detergent (epsom salts, resin infused oils, seed infused oils, washing soda, hand soap)

13) mix body scrubs

14) mix and set washing cakes

15) mix and jar scalp scrubs

16) mix and jar hair cremes

17) mix and jar hair masques

18) mix and jar skin masques

19) mix and bottle serums

20) mix and bottle texture spray

21) mix and jar bath salts

22) deep clean kitchen (wash counters, wash sink, treat drain, sweep and mop floors, wash cabinetry, wash appliances, run cleaning cycles on oven and dishwasher, clean out traps and catches, wash trash can and deoderize, empty and sanitize recycling bag, clean cat cozies, sanitize kitty meal plates, sanitize communal water fountain, sanitize water pitcher and replace filter, etc)

23) juice citrus (lime, lemon) and bottle/refridgerate

24) make citrus paste (lime, lemon) and freeze

25) make chimichurri base and freeze

26) make basil, garlic, and sesame paste and freeze

27) make kefir

28) make garlic confit and freeze

29) make caramelized onions and freeze

30) make pepper paste and pepper jelly and freeze

31) make pickles (onion, garlic, peppers, sundried tomato) and freeze

32) make curried carrot and lentil soup and freeze

33) make chicken stock and freeze

34) make kimchi

35) make samosa and empanada wrappers (corn masa pastry dough)

36) make dumpling wrappers (rice paper)

37) make and freeze dumplings, samosas, and empanadas (veggie mince, meat mince, kimchi and rice, Oaxaca and honey, Oaxaca and beans, Oaxaca and pepper jelly, curry chicken, veggie curry)

38) mix and bag sazon rice packets

39) prep herb and spice mix bottles

40) season and freeze root-fries and root-wedges

41) marinade and freeze veggie side dishes

42) air fry and package chickpea pops

43) make candied snickie snacks (nuts, jerky, coffee beans, carrots, citrus)

44) cut and batter Oaxaca strips for battering (seasoned lentil and rice flour) for paneer pakora and fried cheese sticks

45) cut Oaxaca strips for cheesy pastas

46) make and freeze queso fundido (Oaxaca cubes, peppers, garlic confit, coriander, oregano, paprika, chili pepper flakes, cumin, salt, cracked peppercorns, sundried tomatoes, shea butter curls, buttermilk, meatmince)

47) mix and freeze omelet/egg casserole mixes (queso fundido, onions, salt and pepper, fresh herbs, liquid whole egg mixed with buttermilk and rice flour, sundried tomato mince)

48) repot Pomegranate in compost and coco coir

49) identify and butcher the rooster

50) source scrap wood for laying nests, cat climbers, garden stakes, cat toys, chicken toys, carry/storage crates, etc)

51) mix dehumidifer/air filter pack for upstairs bathroom

52) deep clean upstairs bathroom (wash sink, wash floors, wash toilet, wash cabinetry, refill hand soap, wash counters, polish hardware, wash mirror)

53) wash towels and hang out to dry

54) wash blanket/bed linens and hang out to dry

55) wash clothes and hang up to dry in rounds of 2× outfits or 1× linens per basin

56) deep clean our bathroom (wash sinks, wash counters, sweep and wash floors, wash cabinetry and walls, refill deoderizer, clean shower, polish hardware, wash mirrors, refill hand soap, organize shower and sink products, wash toilet)

57) deep clean bedroom (take out trash bins, pick up floors, vacuum and sanitize carpets, wash walls, organize clothes, organize dog toys, sanitize dog meal dishes, wash and polish side tables/trunk, wash bedframe, sanitize mattress, change sheets and blankets)

58) vacuum and sanitize upstairs carpets

59) wash walls upstairs

60) clean guest bedroom (sanitize mattress, wash and replace bed linens and blanket, pick up floors)

61) move office couch to living room

62) move office desk/supplies to guest bedroom (for now)

63) plan a workout routine (minimum 2x gym days/wk for rowing and cycling and traction, min 2 home workouts/wk -> prioritize range of motion, balance, and gradual endurance building)

64) plan a hygeine routine (min 3x wash day/wk for skin, max 1x wash day/wk for hair)

65) organize my next round of plans

[therealjambery]

Two in one day, what is this?

Prompts from this post.

Prompt: truth serum Fandom: Marvel Characters: Bucky Barnes & Clint Barton Pairing: none, though you could read it as pre-Winterhawk Rating: Teen Words: 1579

"It's all fun and games until someone gets dosed with truth serum," Clint said. He was sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen counter after being released from medical. He was fine, physically, but somehow he still didn't feel lucky.

"I don't know, it could still be fun," Natasha said, leaning on the counter. Despite the lightness of her tone, her face was serious.

"Truth serum is never fun," Bucky said. He was standing in the doorway, shoulders tense, arms crossed over his chest, scowling.

Steve put a warm hand on Clint's shoulder and squeezed. "How," he started.

"No!" Bucky half shouted, uncrossing his arms and stepping fully into the kitchen.

Natasha straightened out of her slouch, eyes darting between Bucky and Steve.

Steve's hand tightened on Clint's shoulder. "Buck," he said.

"Don't ask him open-ended questions," Bucky said, voice tight.

"He's right," Natasha said. She walked around the counter to take Steve's arm. "It's probably best if we give him some space, right, Clint?"

The truth bubbled out of him like lava, burning his throat and impossible to keep in. "I don't want to be alone," he said. He couldn't help the hurt sound that escaped after, either, and clenched his jaw. 

"Go on, Captain Worrywart," Bucky said. "I'll stay with him."

Clint closed his eyes as Natasha kissed his cheek. Her lips brushed against his ear as she whispered, "Sorry," before leading Steve out of the room. He slumped, face in his hands, suddenly exhausted.

He heard Bucky open the fridge. "You hungry?"

"Yes." Clint let himself watch Bucky through his fingers as he pulled sandwich ingredients out of the fridge. Bucky had been right, yes or no questions were easier. A surface level question like that didn't hurt deep in his chest.

Bucky worked in silence, cutting cheese and tomatoes, washing lettuce, spreading mayonnaise on slices of bread. Clint didn't feel any pressure to talk, didn't feel the awkward need to fill the silence with words. It was a relief just to sit, chin in his hands, and watch as Bucky carefully piled deli slices of turkey on the bread. 

Bucky was like a safe harbor in a sea of social expectation. He had always been like that, since Steve had brought him back to the Tower. He was quiet, darkly funny, watchful, and he never wanted anything from Clint. Clint, raw after the double tap of Loki's control and Phil's death, had latched onto that peace with the strength of a drowning man. He was never quite sure why Bucky let him hang around - had never dared to ask. He had chalked it up to Bucky needing a break from Steve's hovering mother hen act and tried not to take up too much of Bucky's time.

They never talked much when they hung out. At the range, they both had a singular focus on the next shot, working in unspoken tandem. They played Mario Kart, or watched Dog Cops, or Bucky read one of his endless pulp science fiction novels while Clint dozed on the couch. It was easy, and Clint had desperately needed something in his life to be easy.

"No mustard," Bucky said, sliding one of the plates across the counter to Clint. He picked up the other one and walked around the bar to sit next to Clint.

"Thanks," Clint said. He wasn't sure when Bucky had figured out he didn't like mustard. He took a bite of his sandwich to distract himself from the tangle of emotions that made him feel.

They ate in silence, Bucky staring off into space and Clint sneaking looks at him every other bite. When they were finished, Bucky stacked the plates but made no move to take them to the sink. "Leave the plates," he said. "Let's get cleaned up. You want a shower?"

Clint let that question sit for a moment, before the compulsion overwhelmed him. "Yeah," he said.

Bucky nodded. He led the way down the hallway, saying over his shoulder, "Don't fight it, it just makes it worse."

Frowning, Clint said, "Did you - did Hydra?" 

Bucky stopped in front of Clint's door, and just looked at him, face impassive, eyes dark. 

Clint swallowed. "Right," he said.

"I'm gonna change," Bucky said, instead of telling Clint to fuck off. "I'll see you back here in ten."

Clint escaped through his door, gratitude a solid stone around his neck. He stripped mechanically, leaving his gear on the floor of the bathroom and taking a perfunctory shower. 

Bucky was sitting on the couch, reading a paperback, when Clint emerged from the bathroom fifteen minutes later. He was wearing a Bad Company t-shirt that looked too small around the shoulders and gray sweatpants with the elastic cut off the ankles.

Hitching his towel up, Clint asked, "Is that Tony's shirt?"

Sticking his finger in his book to save his place, Bucky looked up. He smiled, so fast that Clint almost didn't see it, but his eyes were laughing. "Yeah," he said. "He left it at Steve's place last week. Fair game." 

"And clearly it won't fit Steve," Clint said. Bucky's feet were bare, pale against the dark blue rug. 

"Clearly." Bucky's eyes dipped, like he was looking Clint up and down. "Too tall."

Clint was abruptly aware of how small his towel was. "I'm gonna," he jerked his thumb back over his shoulder toward his bedroom.

"Yup," Bucky said, settling back on the couch and opening his book. 

Clint dressed, leaving his towel in a wet heap on his bed that he would regret later. He poured himself a cup of coffee out of the half full carafe on the counter and stuck it in the microwave, turning in time to see Bucky making a face.

"You should drink some water too," Bucky said.

"Fine, fine," Clint said, sighing theatrically. He poured two glasses from the pitcher in his fridge and set them on the coffee table, walking back to get his coffee as the time beeped.

He drank half the water in his glass before he leaned back on the couch with his coffee mug, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. The silence stretched as he sipped from his mug, broken only by the shush of Bucky turning a page. Clint had finished his coffee and was halfway to falling asleep when Bucky put his book down on the arm of the couch and cleared his throat.

"The serum means I'm immune to most things," Bucky said. His voice was quiet, and he was looking at Clint when Clint rolled his head on back of the couch to look at him.

"But not truth serum," Clint guessed.

Bucky nodded, a jerky movement. His nostrils flared, but his hands looked relaxed, resting on his thighs. "Not at first." He looked down, breaking the eye contact. "I developed a functional immunity."

"Bucky," Clint said. He could hear the break in his voice and suddenly was near tears. "That's really shitty."

"Yeah, well, it's over now." Bucky said. His voice sounded normal, but he still hadn't looked up from his hands.

"Seriously, Bucky," Clint said. He knelt on the couch, knee walking over the cushions until he was next to Bucky and could throw his arms around the other man's shoulders in an awkward hug. "I'm sorry. That was a shitty thing that happened to you. You didn't deserve it. I'm sorry." 

Bucky slid his arms around Clint's waist and squeezed briefly. "Thanks," he said into Clint's chest, a little muffled, then he unwrapped his arms and pushed gently at Clint's chest. "Now get off me, ya big lug."

Clint sat back on his knees, laughing slightly. "Sorry," he said. "I guess I'm all emotional too."

"It takes some people like that," Bucky said gently. He smoothed back his hair, tucking it behind his ears where it had come loose. "Drink the rest of your water."

Clint slid his feet off the couch to sit down again, but stayed where he was instead of retreating back to his corner of the couch. Bucky leaned their shoulders together, his metal arm cool against the bare skin of Clint's elbow.

He drank his water. 

When he leaned forward to put his glass back on the table, Bucky put a hand on the middle of his back, rubbing up and down his spine. "Clint," he said. "This was a shitty thing to happen to you. You don't deserve it. I'm sorry."

Clint choked on an inhale and then he was crying for real, tears spilling over and dripping onto the rug as he pressed his face into his knees. Bucky kept circling his hand over Clint's back, soothing, patient. His eyes and cheeks felt hot by the time he was done, breath hitching. 

"You're all right," Bucky said. He squeezed the back of Clint's neck. "Come on, lie down."

Clint let himself tip over, curling up on his side with his socked feet pressed into Bucky's thigh. Bucky pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and tossed it over him, tucking it around Clint's feet and then resting a hand on his calf. Clint pulled the blanket up over his shoulder. He heard Bucky pick up his book again, but his hand stayed where it was, not holding, just a steady pressure.

"You'll feel better after you sleep a while," Bucky said. 

"'Kay." Clint burrowed deeper in the blanket. "Will you stay?" 

"I'll stay," Bucky said.

[angeprovocateur]

leaving my apartment in a snowstorm dressed in faux fur, vintage ralph lauren snow boots, and my nightgown just to go to the store for wine, vichy hyaluronic acid serum, and tomato soup… it’s giving my year of rest and relaxation