#uhh. found an old video where we. like. did the whole. nod and glance at each other and say something at the same time

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

head in hands. accidentally looked at old instagram posts 8 injured 400 killed

[finnyboywolfhard]

‘Tis the Damn Season

Steve Harrington x Reader

summary: based roughly on ‘tis the damn season by Taylor Swift. Reader comes home for the holidays after two years of being away.

warnings: cursing, angst, fluff

a/n: literally less than a minute into me hearing the song for the first time, I knew I needed to write this so pls enjoy ❤️

word count: 2.2k

Y/N loved going to school away from Hawkins. Getting to experience a life away from the small town that sucked the life from her and drained her happiness after a while. It had been almost two years since she had made the journey from her state school in California back to Indiana. It wasn’t like she didn’t miss her family, but it was just easier, and in all honesty better for her to stay there all year round. There was inevitably downfalls to that, having to work a full time job and also go to school, most holidays were spent alone and she had no idea what was happening in the lives of her old friends or her family for that matter. They would come visit every so often and there was frequent phone calls but it was never enough.

“Knock, knock!” Y/N said as she opened the door, her mom flying from the kitchen to wrap her daughter in her arms. 

“Oh how I’ve missed squeezing you!” Her mom said through a squished face. The girl started laughing at her mother’s reaction. The two exchanged small talk while they waltzed from the front door back to the kitchen. 

“So what’s new in the world of Hawkins?” Y/N said pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting at her kitchen table, glancing to her mom every few movements. 

“Same old, same old, not much happens and not much changes. Mrs. Click retired last year, I know how much you loved her class.” The girls mind was flooded with memories of him. Steve Harrington, her first and maybe only love. She thought of all the times he would arrive to class late and then sloppily eat his bagel while Mrs.Click was trying her best to pull nearly every girls attention away from him. Maybe that’s why Y/N attracted him, she never stared the same way every girl did. 

“Maybe I’ll send her a letter or call her to see if she’d want to chat sometime. Anything else? Any new couples?:

“That Robin Buckley came home last Christmas with a girlfriend.”

“Wait she finally came out to her parents?” 

“You knew?” 

“Uh, yeah. I’ve known since the whole mall fiasco.” Her mother stayed silent as she continued to move with ease around the ever so familiar kitchen.

“Do you want to settle back in or would you want to come to the store with me?” 

“I can go with you, let me go change into something else, I’ve been in these clothes since I left LA.’’ The girl ran up to her old bedroom, grabbing the suitcases from the bottom of the steps were she had left them. As she entered the room, she was hit with a wave of memories. Pictures of Y/N and Steve covered her walls, she let out a sigh. 

 I won't ask you to wait if you don’t ask me to stay.

 “Y/N, stop, you’re being over dramatic.”

“Steve! No I’m not! I got into my dream school, where I’ve wanted to go for practically my entire life. You’re not supporting me!”

“It’s not that i don’t support you, I don’t want you to leave!”

“We can do the distance! We can call and i will come back for breaks, we can write letters! We can make it work, I don’t want to chose between you or my dream.” 

“Well I want you to.”

“Steve…”

“Y/N chose.”

“Then leave Steve.” 

Sure, Y/N could pretend that the reason she didn’t come home was because she would see Steve and become overwhelmed by everything that happened between them. Sure she could pretend that she doesn’t still think of him every single day. Sure she could pretend that if Steve asked she would do anything for him. But she wouldn’t let herself. She did what was going to be best for her future. He didn’t matter if he didn’t support that. Her mind snapped back to what she was supposed to be doing. 

“Shit.” She mumbled to herself as she realized how long she must have been zoned out for. She got dressed and ran downstairs. Her mom was standing at the door, placing items into her purse. 

“You ready?” She glanced at her daughter who was pantin from how quickly she tried to get down the stairs. 

“Yup!” The two piled into the car and began driving through town. Y/N shivered, no longer being acquainted with the colder weather that seemed permanent in Hawkins. 

 It’s the kind of cold, fogs up windshield glass, But I felt it when i passed you, There's an ache in you, put there by the ache in me

 Y/N attention was brought back to reality as they drove past the Family Video and he was outside getting into his car. The two made eye contact as the car moved past, the eye contact remaining unbroken until they physically could not see each other anymore. She felt a tension in her chest, he looked so good, but he also looked hurt. He didn’t have that same spark that drew her to him in the first place. And it shattered her to know that it was her fault. 

“Taking in the sights?“

“Mom!” Y/N yelled out of embarrassment 

“Oh please,. Rumor has it he hasn’t gone out with anyone since you left. He’s apparently turned down every girl that’s asked him out.”

“I mean, i haven't dated anyone since I've left either. I’ve gone on dates but nothing but flings.’ 

“Maybe you should reach out.’

“Yeah, sure.” She rolled her eyes and her mom changed the conversation to something about her dad. For the rest of the night, she just spent as much time as she could attached to every member of her family’s hip. These moments were making her regret not coming back sooner a little more. 

 Now I’m missing your smile, hear me out

 She found her way back to her bedroom and found a photo of her and Steve that one of the kids took. 

“Steve!” The girl giggled out as the boy pulled her tightly to his body, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek. Through her fit of giggles, his smile still shone brighter than her own. To Y/N, anything he did was brighter than hers and she was more than alright with that. Everything he did was perfect, he was the dream boyfriend. She loved each and every inch of him, no matter how often he annoyed her or how often he would say something that made little to no sense, it didn’t matter. If it was Steve, it was perfect. 

“What? You don’t want my kisses?” He faked a pout. She rolled her eyes and turned her face to look at him and touch her lips to his own. His eyes gleefully filled up with joy and he overdramatically said “you want my kisses!’

‘I’ll always want your kisses.” She said smiling, and he smiled back making pristine eye contact, only a flash tore their attention away from one another.

She pulled her eyes away from the photo in her hand, setting it down where she had just picked it up. She put her pajamas on and got comfy in her old bed. 

When she woke up the next morning, for some reason something was calling her to just go for a drive. 

 I parkеd my car right between the Methodist And thе school that used to be ours

 She drove around the town observing all of the vaguely familiar settings, remembering each moment she had connected to the setting. As she parked her car a little down from the high school, she focused on her breathing for the first time in a while. She got out of her drivers seat and out of the car, grabbed a book from her backseat and went to sit on the lawn sprawled beside her. As she walked down the hill, she noticed a figure. As she approached, the figure became clearer and clearer. Steve. 

“Hey.” She called out to him, his head snapped up to look at her standing over him. 

“Hey Y/N, long time no see.”

“Two years.” She said, she waved her hand a bit to ask if she could sit next to him and he nodded his head yes before he continued. 

“How have you been?’ 

“Good! Busy as hell, but good. What about you Stevie?” The nickname slipped out without much thought at all. 

“I’ve been doing my best. I am now manager at Family Video, Keith left.”

“Damn, for real?’ He nodded his head yes and she shook hers in disbelief. “I heard about Rob’s girlfriend. Well, I heard that she had one.’ 

“Oh! Yeah! Her name is Marie and she’s really nice. They’re a good match, she’s just as smart as Robin, I can barely keep up with them.” 

“Who could realistically ever keep up with Robin, let alone Robin and someone just like her.” The two let out dry laughs, which helped to relax some of the weird tension between the two. 

“How long are you here?”

“Just for the holidays, I’m only staying with my parents until the second week of January.” 

“Ahh.” The tone of his voice switched to one much sadder. The air hung still, neither of their voices filling the space anymore. She spoke before she could think. 

“Would you wanna drive around later? Look at lights? For old times sake?” She looked at him with pleading, hopeful eyes. He looked back at her, searching her face to make sure it wasn’t a joke. 

“Uhh, yeah. I mean...I’m meeting Robin and Marie at like 9 to hang out for a little bit, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you tagged along.” 

“I don’t want to intrude.’

“You’re not intruding if I’m inviting you Y/N/N.” For a moment, it felt like the past. It was as if they teleported back to when things weren’t like they were now. But what’s stopping them from letting things be like the past while she’s home? The only heart that would be breaking even more would be hers. 

 We could call it even, you could call me babe for the weekend, ‘tis the damn season 

 He rang the doorbell a little after eight, and she rushed to her door before any of her family. She yelled out a goodbye and they walked out the door and over to his car. 

‘So, school? How is that?”

“It’s hell, but what else was to be expected.” 

“And you’re still a film major? Nothing has changed?”

“Yes sir, still a film major.’

“You’d be impressed, I am starting to actually remember the names of movies!’

“That’s a big step for you, consider me proud.”

“Thanks babe.” It slipped out of his mouth without a thought. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that it just kinda came out.” She let her hand reach out and rest on his thigh. 

“It’s okay, we call each other babe for the time being, no big deal.” 

‘Tis the damn season.” Steve let out in a huffed breath. The two kept chatting and the car got more and more comfortable, they fell into their old rhythm. It felt like the road she chose to go down, didn’t ruin everything. He pulled up to the diner they were meeting Robin and her girlfriend at and sat patiently in Steve’s car. Their heads were leaning back against the head rests and they were looking into each other’s eyes. He reaches over and grazes her face. She pulls in a breath as he shows her the eyelash now sitting atop his finger. 

‘Make your wish.” He said gently, she closed her eyes to think for a second and blew the eyelash from his finger softly. She looked back up into his eyes and smiled. The neon lights shone down from the sign through his windshield and grazed his face, framing it and shaping it with a red hue. He looked angelic. 

‘What’re you thinking about?” Steve asked quietly, not entirely sure why he was being so quiet. 

“Nothing.” She said, trying to push past the feelings building inside her. She fakes a smile. 

“Don’t do that, you know I can tell when you’re lying. What’re you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about how beautiful you look and how much i want to kiss you, but I know I shouldn’t.”

“Maybe that’s the reason why you should.” He reaches his hand over to cup her cheek, rubbing his thumb against her cheek as her leans closer. Their lips meet in the middle, colliding with a gentle passion that filled Y/N with relief. Although the pain of the past hung around like old perfume, it seemed to be patched by this kiss. His lips were plump and soft, his hands against her skin were rough but tender. He fit with her perfectly, and there was no one on earth who she likes kissing more. As they pulled apart, their eyes never lost contact. 

It didn’t matter in that moment that she was leaving again in a month, or the fact that Robin had gotten there in the middle. Nothing mattered in that minute. Because all of those moments where they missed one another were mended right now. And somehow, even though she chose a different path, it still led her to her hometown. It led her to Steve.

[pocminiseries]

Sweetest Taboo|2

Taking Chances.

♣️♣️♣️♣️

"So, I uhh...seen your little baby's comeback with his group recently and I must say, he was looking mighty fine in the video,"

"Don't start this today, Jessie, please..." Subria was quick to protest, clearly not in the mood for her friend's antics and childish teasing.

Hearing Subria's tone, Jessie playfully held up her hands in self-defense. "Look, I'm just saying he looked nice. You know as well as I do that these record labels know exactly what they're doing when it comes to these idols. Most of them are barely legal but out here doing and saying questioning things while playing innocent. They not fooling no one cause I know," She voices with the shake of her head. "Tell me I'm lying?"

Subria gave Jessie a knowing look, choosing to ignore her question altogether. "As if you haven't tested those waters before," She throws out, earning a sneaky grin from Jessie in return. "Army will eat you alive if they found out what you did to their precious Jungkook,"

With the shrug of her shoulders, Jessie twirled in her chair at the memory. "He was 20 when that happened and till this day I don't regret it," She shrugs, winking at Subria's bored expression. "But all jokes aside, how are you and Hyunjin doing? I'm surprised that you two have even been talking this long,"

Sitting back in her chair, Subria laid her head on her closed fist as a slight smile pulled at her lips. "You and me both but in all honesty, we're good, for now at least,"

"What do you mean?" Jessie questions, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"You more than anyone knows my situation when it comes to love or just relationships in general," Subria begins as Jessie quickly realized where this conversation was going. "Things between him and I are changing, and have been for a while now if I'm being honest. So just to be safe, I decided to take things slow...I mean extra slow in an attempt to protect us both but the shit is harder than I thought,"

"So you mean to tell me that Ms. I'm not looking for anything serious, has developed feelings? And for someone you swore up and down was too young for you-"

"He still is," Subria swiftly cuts in, making it clear that the statement she made before she and Hyunjin were even introduced, was still very much relevant.

"Barely. Regardless of how you may feel about that, you can't let past failures reflect on what you have going on now. You're smarter than that," Jessie voices, taking on a sudden tone of seriousness. "Might as well keep going and see where and how things will end up,"

Biting into her bottom lip, Subria eyed her phone as it dinged with a new text message. "I know that you're right but Hyunjin...it's just-"

"Just what? There's a five year age gap between you two, Bria, not fifteen. You really need to let that go already," Jessie urges with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "With all that set aside, have you two...you know?" She proceeds to question with the wiggle of her eyebrows.

"What? Hell no. I want to ease him into that. I'll break him if we just jumped right into it," In order for this to work, Subria knew that she would have to teach Hyunjin a few things, let them explore each other first.

"For what though? I thought you said that Hyunjin wasn't a virgin?"

"He isn't but let's not pretend as if I'm not a whole different breed from what he's used to," Subria states, using her hand to wave over her body. It wasn't that she was being cocky but it was clear between her and Hyunjin who was the most experienced.

"So what all have you two done so far?" Jessie probes, wanting her best friend to get to the juicy details of her relationship.

"We've kissed but that's about it," Subria replies, avoiding making eye contact with Jessie because she could already feel her judgemental black orbs staring back at her.

"Huh? This isn't the third grade, Bria. You haven't even let him get a taste yet?"

"No, Jessie."

"Play with your pussy?"

"Definitely not,"

Crossing her arms, Jessie shook her head in disapproval. "Well damn. Did you at least let him feel on your titties?" She questions curiously, watching as Subria shook her head. "I'm surprised. Since you insist on treating him like he's a baby, you might as well let him suck on your nipple like one too,"

"Shut the fuck up, Jess. Besides, you know how respectful Hyunjin is. A few nights ago he gathered up enough courage to feel on my booty. Shocked the hell out of me when he did it," Subria reveals, causing Jessie's eyes to grow wide.

"Really?! With all that ass you got, I know babyboy was living the dream at that moment," Jessie laughs as the image of a nervous Hyunjin gripping a handful of Subria's backside played out in her mind. "You were probably leaking like a faucet, weren't you?"

Subria rubbed the back of her neck, refusing to answer the question. In reality, all Hyunji had to do was look at her, and her body would always seem to react to it. "Look, it's just better that we take things slow, you know, to really get to know one another,"

"I hear you, I really do. However, you need to accept the fact that something serious is blossoming between you two. It's ok to cross that line, Bria. You can put on a front with him all you want but I can see that you want him, just as much as he wants you. Just let go and go with the flow. You're too damn serious sometimes," Jessie advises before she downed the rest of her drink, slamming the glass onto the countertop.

"Anyway, I need to head home. My bathtub is calling my name, Plus it's my turn to open up this place tomorrow," She adds, standing up on her feet, stretching out her long limbs. "I'll see you in the morning,"

Pulling Jessie into a warm hug, Subria watched as she gathered her things and headed out, locking the door behind her. For a minute, Subria sat inside of the quiet restaurant she ran with her best friend, in her own thoughts. Jessie's words replayed over and over in her mind just as the sound of an incoming call filled the silence around her.

Glancing at the name on the screen, Subria couldn't help but smile at who was calling her. "Yes?"

"Come get me," Was Hyunjin's reply on the other end in a hushed tone. "I want to see you before my schedule gets hetic...please, noona,"

Glancing towards the clock on the wall, she saw that it was almost midnight. And though she wanted to argue with him that it was late, she decided to accept Jessie's advice. "Where are you?"

______

"So you guys still keep in contact with Woojin? I know you guys must miss him," Subria questions before she takes a lick at her ice cream cone.

"Of course but we all knew that him deciding to leave was something he's been thinking about for a while. We just hated when the day finally came," Hyunjin answers, forcing his eyes to look anywhere but at her.

Nodding her head, Subria lowly hummed, briefly glancing at him. For a second, she looked over his side profile and wondered if he ever got tired of looking so perfect all the time? 

"Papi..." She says lowly, knowing how much he liked when she called him by that pet name specifically.

His eyes were quick to find hers just as she took another lick of the cold treat in her hand. "Hmmm," Was his only response back while he laid his head back against the headrest, letting his bangs slightly get in his view.

"Have you been good though? Eating well? Sleeping well? I know how you can get sometimes," She recalled the number of times he would tell her how many hours of sleep that he and the boys would sometimes get or what their diets would be like. Giving him his props for dealing with it was a necessity because there was no way she could do it.

"Yes I have, I promise. If anything, our manager gets upset when we don't eat or sleep enough. Things are better now," He tells her truthfully, watching her tongue lap up her favorite flavor of ice cream. In a way he found it to be almost funny at how his body was reacting to her eating something but there was no doubt in his mind that she was partially teasing him simply because she enjoyed too.

"Better be because you know I'll whoop somebodies ass over all of you if I have to," She reminds him as she gave him a serious look. "Just ask your old makeup artist,"

At hearing her bring that up caused Hyunjin to instantly bust out laughing. He still remembered the day the woman showed up with a badly bruised face and limp walk after Jeong-in had informed Subria about some harsh comments the woman had made while she was doing his make up. It's safe to say that she hadn't dared speak to him or any other member in that way again.

"I'm almost positive that's the day he fell in love with you," He lightly jokes, once his laughing fit had died down earning a playful eye-roll from Subria.

"He had contacted me earlier about already having my birthday present ready," She softly chuckles before eating more ice cream. Just mentioning her birthday was bittersweet. She thought about what Jessie had up her sleeve for her big day almost to the point where she was dreading it. That woman could not be trusted.

"He wouldn't leave us alone until we took him to get it while we were in the Philippians. I think you'll like it, noona," He nods, knowing how excited Jeong-in is to give it to her. "And I think you'll like mine as well," He adds, shooting her a look that left her curious.

For a few seconds, she eyed him as his words replayed over in her mind before she went back to licking her ice cream again. "Well, that's good because I have something for you too,"

"Like?"

"You'll like it, papi. Don't worry," She winks, watching him shift a bit in his seat.

A comfortable silence fell between them with Subria finishing her snack and Hyunjin deep in thought about something he's been waiting to tell her all day. Every time his gaze settled on her, he found it to be difficult to say what's been on his mind for a few days now.

He was nervous, and Subria was starting to sense it.

"Noona..." Hyunjin finally speaks up, reaching his warm hand out to link his fingers with her cold ones.

Leaning back against the driver's side door, Subria softly squeezed his hand once her eyes settled on him. "Wassup? I can tell something has been on your mind,"

Licking his lips, Hyunjin broke their stare, choosing to look glow of the radio that played a familiar song through the speakers. "I've been talking to someone else for a while now...but it's only because our label suggested it. I guess they decided that I'm old enough now to be involved with other idols more freely," He reveals, biting his lip nervously. "The girl, Eunbin, she's nice and I..." He slowly trails off once his eyes met Subria's.

Staring at her, he tried to read the look on her face but the light illuminating from the radio only did so much. Reaching up, he clicked on one of the lights above them to give him a better view but still, he struggled to see what she was thinking.

"You what?" She questions softly with her eyebrows slightly raised, making him almost hesitant to continue but he had already started so he pushed himself to tell her the rest.

"I mean it's nice to have someone to talk to that understands certain things that only we know about and go through you know? Plus we're around each other a lot because our schedules are similar but I don't know what to make of her or the situation yet," He expresses, rubbing his thumb across her skin.

"Yes you do and it's ok, I get it," Subria reassures him with a small smile. "You have someone you can better connect on a level that you and I never could,"

Hyunjin quickly shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. She's nice to have as a friend but that's it," He rushes out, instantly regretting telling her anything. "I want you and only you,"

"You know how much easier it'll be if you date another idol instead? A relationship with me will never be approved for obvious reasons and you know this," Pulling her hand away, Subria shook her head as she chastised herself for letting things get this far when she knew better.

However, Hyunjin wasn't having any of it.

"Come here," He instructs, reaching for her hands again, rolling his eyes when she refused. "Please, noona..." He lowly urges, using a tone that caught her attention immediately.

"Come where? We're in my car,"

Smirking at her childish response, he gently pulled her closer. "You know where. Let's not do this. Now come here,"

"I'll squish you," She declines with the shake of her head. Saying anything she could to get out of doing what he wanted. There would only be one outcome if she obliged to his request and he knew it.

"I'm stronger than you think. Don't underestimate me," He warns lightly, although the double meaning behind his words was heard clear as day.

Sighing, Subria carefully crawled over to him with his assistance and soon found herself straddling his waist. Reaching down, Hyunjin adjusted his seat to make their position more comfortable as Subria settled into his lap.

"Why do you say things like that when you know you don't want me to go anywhere?" He asks as he places his hands on her thighs, causing Subria to become stiff. "Was it because you were jealous?" Hyunjin teases, grinning at the look that spread across her face.

"Jealous? Of what and who? Don't try to play me like that," Subria retorted back, feeling offended. "I was only doing what was best for you,"

"Best for me? I'm not a child. I can think for myself and what's best for me is you," He finishes by moving his hands further up her thighs. "Are you saying you don't want me?" He cutely pouts, giving Subria his best puppy dog look.

"I wasn't saying that at all," She mumbles, pushing his hair away from his eyes. "You make this so hard for me,"

If she didn't care about being caught or what the consequences that would come, she'd throw all caution to the wind and fuck him right now but....she just couldn't cross that line...not yet. "Touch me," She encouraged as her eyes roamed over his features before placing kisses along his cheeks and nose.

"I am touching you," He whispers back, unsure of what she meant.

"No, papi, I mean touch me like this," Moving back slightly, Subria took his hands and demonstrated what she meant by placing them underneath her sweater and onto her bra covered chest.

Hyunjin's throat instantly got dry at her request. "Noona..." He croaks, forcing his gaze to meet hers. "I don't know..." He trails off, feeling nervous, simply because he didn't trust himself.

Smacking her lips, Subria pulled up her sweater high enough to reveal a bra that left little to the imagination. "It's ok, I-" She begins, pausing mid-sentence as Hyunjin placed a kiss to her lips, shutting her up completely.

He barely gave her time to adjust, quickly finding his tongue moving against hers. With her hands gripping his shoulders, Subria relaxed in his, allowing Hyunjin to take the lead for once. Only growing stiff for a second when his lips found their way to her neck, where he licked and sucked on her heated skin in a manner she loved a way too much.

Subria found her hips moving at their own accord to create some type of friction to sooth the familiar ache between her thighs.

Biting her neck, Hyunjin managed to pull a sensual moan from Subria that was pure music to his ears. It was a sound he needed to hear again as he pulled her closer, letting his hands tug down the material of her bra to release her breasts. His fingers were quick to tease at her nipples while he continued to work his tongue across her neck, making Subria shiver against his ministrations.

"Wait-" She begins to protest with a shaky voice but Hyunjin didn't care to hear her excuses. She started this and he was determined to end it how he wanted.

"Shut up," He instantly shot back, moving his mouth towards her exposed chest. Even though this wasn't his first time experiencing something like this, Hyunjin wouldn't pretend as if Subria's titties weren't the prettiest ones he's seen because by far they were. Which is why he wasted no time by allowing his tongue to move slowly over her left areola.

All that could be heard besides the music playing in the background, were Subria's low whimpers of need while he worked his muscle in a way that left her a mess in his lap. Her hands soon found their way to his hair, pulling him closer to her chest, needing to feel more.

And once she felt him lift his hips to match her movements she knew....that maybe, just maybe her sweet Hyunjin wasn't as inexperienced as she originally thought.

Because he was too skilled at this. That innocent face of his had deceived her and now she was stuck.

"Don't..." Subria pleads, feeling one of his hands slip between them and to the very place she needed attention. "Hyunjin!"

[etlunainmorte]

✒ P.S. I Love You ✒

***

VIII

***

When V arrived at the entrance hall that evening ( after having enough food and rest ), he found Nico staring up at the staircase, her arms crossed over her chest and one of her booted feet tapping impatiently at the ground beneath her. And when she heard V's movements ( or his cane's, for he has really light footsteps ), she turned around, waved, and smiled at him.

"Hey," she greeted. "... ya ready?"

"I' am." He answered, then turned his gaze up to where she was staring at. "You look like you're waiting for something."

It was not a question. Still, it successfully elicited an answer from the woman.

"Yeah." She placed her cigarette between her dried lips, sucked at it, and blew, the obnoxious smoke making its way to V's nostrils. She, then, used it to point at something at the staircase. "He should be finishing up by now."

"Who?"

Nico didn't waste any breath to answer his question as Griffon flew down from the upper floors a few moments later, carrying what looked like an old rucksack on his talons. He flew down right next to her and handed the old rucksack back to her.

"How long was I out?" The demonic bird asked her, his voice hoarse and breaking as if he was catching his breath.

"Roughly forty - five minutes." The woman muttered as she went back to her chair in front of her PC.

"Whew! Thought I got lost back there."

"Looks like you're the only one getting trapped up there, V." The Artisan mentioned as she gave him a sideways glance. And as V went closer to her to inspect what she was doing, he saw, in his peripheral vision, the boy from yesterday. He was actually hiding on one of the rooms, and every once in a while, the boy would slightly open the door and take a peek at them. Maria, the housekeeper ( whom he haven't actually seen since last night ), must've figured out, or at least expected, that he was going up again, so she sent the poor boy once more to watch over him. But, with both Nico and Griffon's intervention with the mission, he can't actually come out. Was he simply being shy, or something?

"There." Nico simply announced as she opened the program that let her view her spy cameras. Only this time, with each click of her mouse, the program showed her other parts of the room that they haven't actually seen.

That must be what Griffon has been doing during his absence: he was installing more spy cameras on the upper floors. And he didn't disappoint. From the second floor, to the third, to the very dark and dusty - looking fourth, they now have eyes on all corners of Avery's mansion.

Nico clicked the mouse one more time and the program gave her a nice view of the second floor from six to eight different angles. V's eyes wandered to the one on the upper left corner and landed right to the door of (Y/N)'s room.

"That was the room." He confirmed.

Nico clicked on it and it zoomed, showing them a better view of the door. She hummed. "Nothing strange happenin' yet." She turned and looked up at V. "Alright, then. It's your turn. And don't forget! In case of emergency, don't hesitate to push the button."

V nodded as he received the radio from Griffon's talons. With Nico's thumbs up, he went up once more to the second floor, leaving her and Griffon behind. And when he was finally out of earshot, she turned towards the bird. "Now, I have somethin' for ya,..."

*

A few moments later, V found himself back to the door of (Y/N)'s room. He half expected that something would happen once more but, the way things were going, with all the spy cameras scattered about the place and Nico's close watch with them, he knew he wouldn't see anything this time. He opened door, stepped inside, and closed it once more,...

Nico's eyes widened as she looked a bit closer to one of the angles where V was. She clicked on it and went back a few seconds. And when she played the video, she confirmed it: he really just vanished into thin air. He didn't even touch the door knob, nor took a step closer. He just disappeared.

"What just happened?" She mumbled, then turned towards Griffon, who was paying close attention to what she was doing. "You're up."

The demonic bird, who's now equipped with what looked like a headset installed with a very small camera of some kind, ruffled his feathers and flapped his wings, taking off from one of the chairs he was perched on. "Alright! Alright! Sheesh,..." He, then, took off and made his way to where V was.

Nico went back to her screen and clicked another option which showed her the view from Griffon's camera.

"Alright! Time to - "

But, even before she could do something else, the screen went blank, all of the lights went out, and the house was plunged in total darkness.

Her skin crawling and her eyes trying to adjust, she stood up and grabbed the radio that was only right next to her monitor. With shaking hands, she turned the dial and waited for the static to stop. And when it finally did, she pushed the record button and raised it high above her head.

"Hello?" She called once. No one answered. "Is anybody here?" She asked, being totally aware that no one else was around ( Avery took Roman out after the Nightmare incident to calm his nerves and just decided to spend the night in a hotel in the city ) except for her and her team. She inhaled deeply and tried asking once more as she exhaled. "If there are," She began, then gulped, feeling the sudden drop in the atmosphere. " ... any spirits here, say HHHOOOEEE!" Nico waited for an answer but, still, there was none.

She left her spot and started walking around, taking great care to not step on any wire on the floor. She cleared her throat, the simple sound of it piercing through the deafening silence. She cleared it once more, mustering all the courage she could, and spoke. "If there are any spirits here, say - "

"Hhhhhhooooooeeeeeeeee,..."

A small and airy - sounding female voice answered just behind her, making the hair on her nape stand and her eyes widen in utter fear. The radio was still recording and she was a hundred percent sure that the voice just now was captured by her gadget. She wanted so much to turn around and face the spirit but, she really couldn't. Heck, she wanted to make a run for it and escape but, it looked as though she was rooted to the ground, effectively trapping her with the unwanted visitor.

"Hey," it whispered so closely to her ear, its voice sending tingles up and down her spine. " ... wanna see me do a trick?"

Nico slowly turned around.

She regretted doing it.

*

Meanwhile, Griffon flew aimlessly around the second floor as he looked for the place in which V disappeared at. The sudden darkness was not helping, at all, and the utter silence of the room was too deafening in his ears -

"GAH!" He shrieked in shock as he sent out an electric attack to the unknown creature that suddenly went past him, cackling and seemingly mocking him. He turned around as he heard the same cackle once more and he saw it go through a door right before him.

The demonic bird puffed out his chest, ruffled his feathers, and shook his head as he tried to push away the feeling of utter terror that was swiftly taking over him. He shouldn't have accepted this task from that mouthy woman! But, they're a team, they're all in this together, and they must see this through the end.

He inhaled and ruffled his feathers once again as he exhaled. "Whew! Okay! Okay! I'm a Demon, for Shirley's sake! Nothing can ever frighten me - !"

"Psst, hey!" Something whispered behind him. "Wanna join us?"

"HELL NO!" Griffon screamed at the top of his lungs as he hastily flew towards the door where the unknown creature from earlier went through. In his own escalating fear and panic, he waved his wings and sent out a strong electric attack that tear the door down. He entered the room,...

... and found V standing motionlessly in the middle of it.

"Oh, V! Am I glad to see ya!" Griffon told his master but, he got no answer. "Hey, uhh, V? You okay?" He flew closer towards the poet, the feeling of dread still not leaving his system. He looked at the man and noticed his eyes transfixed at something on the ceiling. He took a closer look and finally noticed that the man's eyes were completely white instead of green and that his mouth was wide open. He looked as though he was being hypnotized by something. "V, what are ya starin' at? Hey! Snap out of it - !"

"Mister Sandman! Mister Sandman!"

The radio on V's hands suddenly went off, signaling that an hour has already passed, despite the fact that they have only began the mission fifteen minutes ago! The sound suddenly became distorted as it seemingly fast forwarded, and when it reached the final note, it abruptly stopped, plunging the whole place into silence once more.

"Okay, Shakespeare! We better hurry! Something's really wrong about this place! I can't - "

"W - wait! P - please,..." He heard V stutter under his breath.

"Wait, what?"

"(Y/N),..." V muttered, his voice hoarse and broken. "Please,..."

"What the f - ?!" Griffon drew back, confusion now taking over. He slowly and cautiously looked up to where V was staring at and found, attached to the rotten ceiling like a spider waiting for its prey,...

... a woman with long blonde hair dressed in completely white.

For a few moments, Griffon was stuck where he was, unable to form coherent words or even make a sound. But, the moment she slowly turned to look at him, his eyes widened and his beak dropped open and it took him a few more seconds to finally make a move and grab V by his collar.

"FUCK!" The demonic bird howled in fear as he carried V away from the room and the menace of that blonde creature, who just dropped on the floor and went after them in all fours, its speed frightening the hell out of the, otherwise, powerful familiar. "FUCK! FUCK! FU - !"

"Mister Sandman! Mister Sandman!"

"FUCK! TURN THAT THING OFF!" Griffon howled helplessly as V's radio alarmed with the distorted song once more. Again, another hour has passed. "V, WAKE THE FUCK UP! WE'VE GOT A CCCRRRAAAZZZYYY WOMAN TO BURN! VVVVVVEEEEEE!"

Griffon turned around and noticed the freaky woman gaining speed and catching up to them. He turned back and focused on the hallway and saw it stretching before him into a seemingly endless path. He closed his eyes shut and opened them once more, hoping for this endless nightmare to end -

"Mister Sandman! Mister Sandman!"

"NICO! ANYONE!" Griffon called. "HELP!"

***

✒ @la-vita and @micaelagua . ✒

***

✒✒✒

***

[flashhwing]

oh my god they were roommates

How nice would it be if Steph could just move to Bludhaven? And it could be her and Cass again, and things would be like they used to except they’d be Nightwing and Batgirl insead of Batgirl and Spoiler. Just like old times. Actually ... What was keeping Steph in Gotham? She very well could just up and leave, couldn’t she?

Pairing: StephCass Word Count: 2.2k

(AO3)

Steph peered at her reflection in the mirror and poked at the budding bruise on her cheek with a small harrumph!  It didn’t look that bad.  It was barely purple and didn’t cover her whole face or anything.

Her ribs, on the other hand, were a whole other story.  But Alfred had already wrapped those to the best of his incredibly impressive ability, so she figured that was fine.  She was fine.  More importantly, Batgirl had been more than fine out in the field, and three arms dealer jerkfaces were behind bars thanks to her, and she definitely didn’t need or deserve the Bitchman bitching about it.

“You’re still reckless,” she muttered in her best mocking tone.  It sounded nothing like Bruce, but she thought she got the main (bitchy) essence.  “You almost let them get away.”

Steph pulled a face.  Almost was the operative word there.  Again, three whole jerkfaces!  Behind bars!  Because of a lead that she found and she followed!  And okay, maybe she’d gotten a little ahead of herself, maybe she didn’t notice the crowbar in time, but she still maintained that she would’ve gotten a handle on the situation and finished them off without Batman’s help, thank you very much.

“You are a strong, independent Batgirl,” Steph said, jutting out her chin and pointing exaggeratedly at her reflection.  “Who don’t need no Batman.”

But really, it wasn’t even Batman’s interference that ticked her off.  It wasn’t Robin’s smug gloating or Alfred’s stern (and only slightly condescending) glances.  

No, what really got Steph’s goat was that after all this time, Bruce still didn’t trust her in the field.

Hadn’t she earned that by now?  Hadn’t she proved herself, over and over and over again?  She had Barbara’s respect, for crying out loud!  And Cass — Cass had handed Steph the Batgirl suit herself, and everyone knew Cass was the best of them.

Grumbling, Steph very specifically did not stomp out of the bathroom and very specifically did plop down on her bed (which her ribs immediately informed her was a mistake, but she was sticking by it).  She missed Cass.  She missed when they were Spoiler and Batgirl, patrolling Gotham and keeping her citizens safe under Oracle’s guiding eye.  But now Cass was in Blüdhaven being Nightwing, and yeah, it wasn’t technically far, but it wasn’t like Steph could just pop over to whole other city every night for patrol.  Not when she still had classes and exams and papers and all that.  They had video chats every couple days like any good long-distance girlfriends, but it just wasn’t the same.

Sometimes Steph thought Cass was lucky.  Actually, Steph often thought Cass was lucky.  Bruce only cared about Blüdhaven in that one of his kids was there — but Batman himself was never in the city, breathing down Nightwing’s neck.  Nightwing had total freedom, a whole city removed from the Family, the benefit of Oracle’s help without Batman’s shadow.  Must be nice.

Not that Cass could truly appreciate it, seeing as how she actually liked Batman, the absolute madwoman.

How nice would it be if Steph could just move to Blüdhaven?  And it could be her and Cass again, and things would be like they were except they’d be Nightwing and Batgirl, and they’d still have Oracle in their ear but there’d be fewer masked crazies and more casinos.

But Steph still had two years left in her marketing degree.  She couldn’t just … up and leave.

Unless …

Steph bolted upright (again? her ribs complained).  There were schools in Blüdhaven.  Gotham U’s sister school was in Blüdhaven.  And it was mid April.  She had plenty of time to apply for a transfer for the fall semester.

Steph very well could just up and leave, if she so chose.

And now was the time to choose …

“I have arrived!” Steph declared as she kicked open the door to Cass’s (now hers and Cass’s) apartment, carrying a large box of haphazardly packed clothes.  It was the first day of June, the sun was shining, she was enrolled for the fall semester at NJU Blüdhaven, and best of all, she never had to step foot in Gotham again if she wanted.  (Of course she’d be back to visit her mother (and Barbara, probably, though she hadn’t actually promised her) from time to time, but that fell under the category of “if she wanted”.)

Except … it didn’t look like an apartment.  It looked like a gym.  Like a big, empty gym, complete with one mirrored wall, yet no equipment.

“Uhh, Cass?” Steph called over her shoulder and waited for Cass to catch up and give her an inquisitive look.  “Please tell me you don’t live in a gym.”

“I don’t live in a gym.”

Steph made a small noise of distress.  Why did that sound so sarcastic?  Why did Cass choose to infuse that sentence with sarcasm so thick you could cut it with a knife?  

Cass rolled her eyes and smiled that cute little half-smile that made Steph’s heart do a flip.  “Come on,” she said, tugging on Steph’s wrist gently enough that she didn’t drop her box.

There was a door on the far side of the gym, next to the mirrors, and that is the door that Cass led Steph through.  Behind it was a studio apartment complete with a kitchen, a couch, a bed on a platform behind a little half-wall, and a door that Steph hoped led to a bathroom.  

“Oh-kay, so this is where you live,” Steph said with an exaggerated sigh of relief.  “That makes so much more sense.”

Steph surveyed the space a little closer.  There was a row of little cactuses lined up on the kitchen island, and more potted plants in every corner.  A bookshelf next to the television held several assorted knick knacks — decks of cards, a toy motorcycle, a few decorated fans, some figures of famous monuments, a couple sketchbooks, a snowglobe of Gotham, a little plush version of Cass as Batgirl — amongst framed photos of Cass with Bruce and her brothers.  On the wall above the bed hung a blue and yellow neon sign that said “girls girls girls.”

The sign brought a smile to Steph’s face.  She’d bought it for Cass as a going-away present when she first moved to Blüdhaven.  It was a bit of a joke really — Cass was never much into the Pride aspect of her sexuality, but Steph maintained that every lesbian needed a piece of Tacky Lesbian™ decor.

“You’re not a lesbian,” Cass had pointed out.

“No, but my girlfriend is,” Steph had replied, giving Cass a peck on the cheek.  “So I think I understand their needs.”

In retrospect, it was amazing it took Steph this long to follow Cass to Blüdhaven.  Well okay, Cass had moved at the end of February, so really it was only three months, but that was three months stuck in Gotham with Bruce breathing down her neck harder than ever.

And okay, now that she had some distance, maybe she could appreciate the stress Bruce was under.  What with Dick leaving, Cass moving out, the drama with Jason (whatever that was, she didn’t want to know), and Tim going AWOL, Bruce was kinda stretched thin.  

Didn’t excuse him for being a jerk, though.  

Steph strode purposefully across the apartment and up the three stairs to the bed (-room? bed-area?), where she promptly dropped her box.

“So,” she said, sitting herself down at the edge of the bed.  There was another Batgirl plush resting against the pillows, only this one had blonde hair and purple accents on the suit.  Steph picked it up and fiddled with it.  “Pretty nice place ya got.”

“No.”  Cass lightly swatted Steph’s arm with a mock-stern look.  Or it might’ve been a legit-stern look, but it was probably mock-stern.  “Finish unloading, then we can small-talk.”

“Whaat?” Steph whined, even as she started back towards the front door and the truck beyond it (well, the truck beyond the gym beyond it).  “But Caaass, I just drove two hours!”

Cass gave her a Look, and dragged her along by the wrist again.  “Come on,” she said in a tone of voice that somehow managed to be commanding and soft at the same time.

“Since when did you get so bossy?”

“You’re in my city now.”

And wasn’t that thrilling?  Suddenly any complaints Steph had, real or joking, evaporated and she was left with a giddiness that settled pleasantly somewhere below her stomach.  She bit her lip and followed Cass with renewed glee.

This was gonna be a good move.

“So, how much of this stuff used to be Dick’s?”

“None of it.”

Steph was sprawled longways on the couch with Cass draped on top of her.  All of Steph’s stuff had been unpacked (and it only took four hours!) and now they had Queer Eye marathoning on the TV.  They’d finished a half-pint of frozen yogurt between them two episodes ago, and the evidence had long since rolled away under the coffee table.

“Really, none of it?”

“It’s all mine.”

It was nice.  Cass was warm, and her weight on Steph’s chest was comforting in a way that no weighted blanket could hope to match.  Gosh, how long had it been since they spent some chill time like this?

“So what, he took everything to Central with him, or?”

“I think he doesn’t have any stuff.”

How lucky were they?  Where would they be if Nightwing hadn’t decided to move to Missouri (of all places, Missouri) to help the Flash with whatever?  Well they wouldn’t be cuddling in their own fully paid-off luxury studio apartment (was that an oxymoron?) in their own city, that’s for sure.

“I can’t decide if that’s inspirational or sad.”

Cass shrugged and snuggled further into Steph’s chest.  Her head was tucked underneath Steph’s chin, her arms looped under Steph’s shoulders, her legs tangled up in Steph’s.  It hadn’t exactly slipped Steph’s mind how clingy Cass was, but it was easy to forget how nice it felt.  Like a puzzle piece slotting right into place.

Carding her fingers through Cass’s hair, Steph pressed a small kiss on her girlfriend’s head.  “So … this is nice.”

Cass nodded.

“We should totally do this again sometime.”

Cass flicked the side of Steph’s head, but her smile could be felt through Steph’s tee-shirt.

“Give me your number, I promise I’ll call!”

“I’m leaving,” Cass declared, wriggling out of Steph’s grip.

“You will do no such thing!”  Steph lunged for Cass, trying to grab her ‘round the middle, but she’d already vaulted over the back of the couch, landing in a graceful somersault and finishing with a half-pirouette.  

“Catch me if you can, sucker!”

Some people (Tim) thought that introducing Cass to 90’s sitcoms had been a bad idea.  Those people, of course, were entitled to their wrong opinion.

“Why, I oughta —” Steph gave chase, vaulting over the back of the couch.  She did not somersault and came nowhere near performing a pirouette, but the vault served its purpose.

The game was on.  Cass led Steph all around the apartment (which wasn’t hard, since it was one room), gliding and spinning and flipping around every surface.  And Steph matched her every move — perhaps not with so much grace or fancy moves, but let it never be said that Stephanie Brown couldn’t keep up.

When Cass flipped over the kitchen island, Steph followed suit, sliding over it.  When she hand-sprung over the half-wall and onto the bed, Steph vaulted over it moments later.  When she leapt over the coffeetable, Steph was right behind her, though she didn’t go over the table.  No, she baseball-slid on the hardwood next to it, deftly snatching up something vital as she did so.

“Think fast!” Steph shouted as she threw the empty fro-yo carton directly at Cass’s head.

Cass caught it.  Of course she did.  She thought faster than anyone; she didn’t need a warning.  However, the action did cause her to slow her momentum, giving Steph just enough leeway to catch up —

— and go skidding right into Cass’s outstretched hand.

“Wait,” Cass said, tilting her head towards the open kitchen window.  Steph followed the gesture and saw a community garden nestled between this building and the next, lit up solely by a single streetlamp.

The sun had set on Blüdhaven.

A wicked grin spread itself across Steph’s face.

“Are you thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” Cass said, one eyebrow raised.

“Patrol time?”

“Rooftop tag.”

Just like old times.  That’s what it always came down to, wasn’t it?  You could change their names, move them across cities, hurt them, break them, abuse them, but at the end of the day, this is what they were.  Steph and Cass, Spoiler and Batgirl — or Batgirl and Nightwing, as it were.  It didn’t matter, so long as they had each other, the open city, a couple of bad guys to beat up.  They would always be just fine.

Steph really wasn’t gonna miss Gotham at all, was she?

She held out her arm as if to act as an escort to Cass.  “Shall we, Nightwing?”

Cass took the proffered arm, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.  “Ready when you are, Batgirl.”

[takadasaiko]

Second Chances: Chapter Thirteen

FFN II AO3

Summary: The Stark Expo 2024 receives an unwelcome guest.

Chapter Thirteen

It was a terrible idea. Horrible, really. Even if you completely ignored all of the tech that would be on display and the exhibit on how Stark Industries had progressed over the years and their contributions both to the military and to the world, there would be footage from previous expos. Video clips and reels showing a young Howard Stark in them. Someone would recognize him. It was a terrible idea.

But then Morgan had begged. He'd put her up to it, Tony knew, but his little girl had pulled out all the stops. Waterworks, trembling voice, and a promise to watch Howard so that he didn't get lost. Tony had looked to Pepper, begging for some kind of support, but he'd gotten no help. Howard had played his cards right snagging Morgan. That kid had a talent.

That was how Tony found himself standing at the entrance to the 2024 Stark Expo with his father, reminding him to keep the brim of his baseball cap pulled low and the sunglasses on. Yes, even inside.

"If anyone asks or comments about how much you look like -"

"Me?" Howard chuckled, clearly amused by the whole thing.

"Yeah. You're a distant cousin. Got it?"

"Right. What name do I give them?"

Tony blinked at him. "Uhh… I don't know? Howie? No, that sounds stupid. Just go with Howard."

"You're terrible at this."

He tossed a glare his way. "Just keep your head down. You're my kid's responsibility, remember?"

"Like a goldfish. Got it."

Tony snorted at that. "You said it." He nodded at the guard at the door and they passed through without the search everyone else was getting.

Howard turned as they walked, watching the lines. "What's with all the security?"

"It's standard these days." He spotted Pepper with Morgan up ahead, Steve and Peggy with them. The grin that had just started to pull into place immediately dissipated at the sight of Bucky Barnes with them. He, on the other hand, looked like a kid on Christmas morning. One that was letting a curious five-year-old examine his bionic arm. Tony cleared his throat. "Oh Morguna? I thought we had a deal about if a certain someone got to come in?"

Morgan turned, grinning broadly. "Daddy, look! It's shiny!"

"Yes it is," he answered noncommittally. His gaze flickered to the man he had a tenuous truce with. "Careful there. Look away and she'll find a panel and start in on the wiring."

Barnes lifted a skeptical eyebrow at Morgan who grinned brightly at him, but didn't counter Tony's warning. "Thanks for the heads up," he chuckled and slowly pulled his arm out of the little girl's immediate reach. His full smile returned as Howard joined them and Tony was reminded of what Steve had said about the two knowing each other. Howard was perfectly comfortable with him… which would make the betrayal he couldn't even warn him about all the worse.

"They've got an exhibit over there with one of your old flying cars," Barnes said, motioning in that direction. "Did I tell you that I saw you present it in '43?"

Howard grinned. "You were there? Small world."

"I'm sure you and Pepper need to make an appearance." Tony turned, finding Steve watching him watch Howard. "You want me to keep an eye on him for a while?"

"Me too, Uncle Steve!" Morgan squealed, taking hold of his hand. "When Pete gets here, he can come too."

"We'll take good care of them," Peggy promised.

Any argument that Tony might have made was instantly swallowed as a gackle of reporters had finally sorted them and were beelining in their direction. The last thing they needed was Howard's photo showing up on a blog or the ten o'clock news. He pushed a long breath out through his nose and turned to Morgan. "You got this?"

"Yeah!"

"Counting on you." He ruffled her hair and she giggled as he looked up to Steve, mouthing thanks.

Steve nodded in response as Peggy took Morgan's hand. "Why don't we go see some of the sights?"

"I wanna show you the suits!"

"Suits?"

"Iron Man suits!"

His little girl's voice faded into the distance as they left, replaced by the sudden onslaught of reporters. Pepper was suddenly at his side, hand on his arm and her bright, camera-ready smile firmly in place as he flashed his own and prayed that this was the first time since he'd come out of recovery that no one asked about the battle with Thanos.

                                                   ________________

The media missed Tony even if he didn't always seem to miss them. Pepper played interference, an easier job than it once was as the CEO of Stark Industries, and for entirely different reasons than they had been when she fended them off years before. Fifteen years ago she was trying to keep him from saying something he'd regret while hungover - or still drunk - while now the moment the conversation shifted over to Thanos, the war, or Tony's scars it was like an alarm went off and she leapt into action. It was in those moments that she was actually grateful for all the practice that she had had at turning the tide of the conversation. Did they know that MIT had brought an entire group of students whose projects had been funded by the September Foundation to display at the expo? No? They should really talk about that.

Pepper didn't have to see the grateful look her husband shot her to know it was coming her way. They talked about it, either complimenting the other as they discussed the various projects, the kids that had submitted, and how funding these types of projects could change their future for the better.

"While this is, of course, amazing, I'm not sure how we segwayed here from the battle with Thanos," one notoriously persistent blogger pressed, his gaze focused in on Tony.

"Because, Tucker, four of the ten attendees were Snapped Out," Pepper explained, bringing their attention back around to her. "Stark Industries has worked to pick the best and the brightest designs that are geared towards finding new and inventive ways to help with the readjustment, and who better than those that were taken from us? These kids are our future, and everybody at Stark Industries is excited to give them the tools they need to make it the best future for everybody."

Somewhere in there Tony ducked away, flashing the smile that only Pepper knew was fake as he said he was going to go take a look at the finished products they'd brought with them. He left, and the questions turned back to the expo and away from the hopes of being the first reporter to glean an interview from Iron Man about a battle he'd repeatedly refused to discuss or answer questions on publically.

Pepper put in her time with them and finally stepped away, feeling a rush of relief as she did. She should go rescue Steve and Peggy from what was quickly becoming the dangerous dynamic duo of Morgan and Howard, but instead she found herself making her way over MIT's area where she knew she'd find her husband.

Tony stood with Harley Keener and she recognized the real smile that had replaced the press-induced fake one. She'd only met Harley a handful of times, but she knew the stories well. Even as a kid he'd helped Tony out when he'd been stuck without any of his usual resources and had left a mark on him in a lasting way. He was smart. Brilliant even, but in the years following high school he'd decided to go a different way. Two years before, though, Tony had received a call asking if his offer still stood. There hadn't been a moment's hesitation. Harley was in before he'd ever even applied, and Tony had been thrilled to make it happen. The kid hadn't disappointed him since.

"Hi, Pepper," he greeted her and she offered him a bright smile.

"Harley. How's it going?"

"I hear I have you to thank for my late entry," he said with a sheepish grin.

"I hope you made it worth it."

"He has a prototype that could open up a way to provide a sustainable, affordable solution to clean water shortages," Tony said, and she thought there was a bit of pride in his voice. She lifted one fair eyebrow at him over it and he flashed her a bright smile.

"That sounds amazing, Harley. Glad we found a spot for you."

"How'd the media circus go?"

She turned to her husband. "Not bad. Once they realized they weren't getting an Iron Man interview they went back to the expo."

Tony nodded, accepting the answer, but an excitable voice drew their attention. Morgan was running toward them at breakneck speed, Howard and a newly arrived Peter in tow. She had begged someone into buying her a baseball cap with Stark Expo 24 in big, bold letters. "Look who came!"

Harley stepper forward. "Peter, right?"

"That's me."

Pepper glanced over to Howard. "Did you lose Peggy and Steve?"

"They got distracted by the Women's Exhibit."

"I thought Peggy might enjoy that."

"Pep?"

She turned, Tony's serious expression causing a knot to form in her stomach. She followed his line of sight to see a strangely dressed man moving through the crowd. Expo attendees stopped and stared, but the armor he wore could have easily been a part of one of the show exhibits.

"Well he's hella creepy looking," Harley said, his nose turned up a little.

"Mr Stark, isn't that the dictator from Latveria?" Peter asked.

"The same that we turned down," Pepper grumbled. "I'll call security."

"Just have them on standby," Tony said firmly. "From what I've heard this guy doesn't get escorted out without a scene. After the last expo, I'd rather not have one."

"What's his deal?" Howard asked.

"Let me find out," Tony answered, and Pepper knew that tone. She hated that tone. It almost always meant something bad was going to happen. "Pete, you get Howard and Morgan out, would you? Pep, you know what to watch for."

She nodded. Arguing with him was pointless for this.

"Tony, What can I do?"

Tony turned towards Harley. "Be ready to clear your classmates out if things go south."

Pepper drew in a deep breath as she watched his demeanor change, a charming smile replacing the dangerous scowl and Tony Stark strode forward to meet the approaching Victor Von Doom. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

                                                  ________________

He could have sworn there had been a breeze not five minutes before, but as Tony approached the man decked from head to toe like he was ready to throw down at any point, everything seemed to have gone still. His brain worked at a rapid pace, assessing the threat risk, how much good it would actually do if Pepper did call security or if it would just put more people in danger, and how far off help might be. He'd sent Pete away, but knowing him he'd store Howard and Morgan someplace safe, grab his suit, and come back. That was one. Cap and Peggy were at the Women of Stark Industries exhibit which was, maybe, close enough for them to hear if a fight broke out. That was one more, maybe two. Barnes was around there somewhere and Rhodey had said he'd swing by. Okay. That was a lot of iffy variables he was playing with.

And at the edge of all of that was one more calculation. One that he shouldn't even be making because he knew the end result. Yes, he had enough suits on display there to have one available and yes it would come to him at the press of a button. What it would do to him was another matter altogether. While the ARC reactor could provide a power source for it even though this one hadn't necessarily been designed to do so, the suit always put a strain on his body. When he was in good health he barely felt it, but with everything he'd been through in the last year… the odds weren't great. No matter how many times he ran them.

"Stark," Von Doom greeted, if the rumble of his name could be considered a greeting.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Tony popped back, his smile a little lopsided, but he met the other man's eyes through the slits in the mask. "Wait wait. Don't tell me. Von something. Von Dam, Von Der, Von —"

"Doom," the dictator growled.

"Right. Victor Von Doom. How could I forget a name like that?" He flashed an overly-innocent smile. "Whatcha doin' here, Vic?"

"You thought you could keep me away?"

Great. Another diva. Did these guys have a club or something? Doom, Loki, idiots that liked to crash in and destroy things, because it was becoming increasingly more clear that this was not going to be diffused before it started. Maybe he could at least buy some time. "That's right, you did want a slot, didn't you? You know, we have this new policy. The no dictator policy. We didn't even know we needed to put it in place until —"

Tony wasn't sure what hit him, but all at once every muscle seized up and he felt his chest tighten dangerously. He blinked hard, focusing on what he thought were…. tendrils…. reaching out. What the actual hell? Not another wizard. He hated these guys. Wasn't one enough? Especially when that one was on their side? He did not need any other powers that he still hadn't quite wrapped his mind around yet. Especially the kind lifting up off the ground and into the air like they were capable and willing to rip him limb from limb at their master's sayso.

It was getting hard to breathe, but he couldn't thrash against the hold. Instead he felt it tighten, and he could practically feel fingers wrapping around his throat. He choked against it, and suddenly he was tilted forward so that he could see Doom and all of his rage. "Did you think you can keep Doom out?"

"I'd sure hoped so," Tony managed.

Doom looked almost disappointed. "I'd expected more from the great Iron Man."

"You may have missed it. I retired. Crazy thing, I know, but -" The quip was cut off by the shout of pain.

"You're not worth the time," the dispot snarled. "Today, I will -"

Whatever threat he had in his bag of hyperbole never left his lips - assuming he had them. It was hard to tell with the mask he wore - as a blur of blue slammed hard into him, knocking him off his feet and sending him sliding. Tony tumbled to the ground, instantly released from his bonds. He landed hard on his back with the breath knocked out of him and struggled to sit up, looking for some hint as to what had saved him. A grin tugged at him as he saw Pepper standing, fully suited up in the suit she had dubbed Rescue - because she had teased him that he had needed rescuing while fighting Thanos - and squaring off against the idiot Doom. "And that's my wife," Tony mumbled proudly, even if it was just to himself.

Doom was on his feet in an instant, though, and came around at Pepper. She was good. A natural when she had a suit made for her, and she blocked it so that she was only pushed back an inch or two. It was the second slam that sent her stumbling, and he used the momentum to level a third attack that sent her flying back so that she hit the ground hard. She rolled to her feet almost immediately and Tony managed to release the breath he hadn't realized that he was holding.

"Mr Stark!"

He whipped around towards Peter's voice and found himself face to face with a robot grabbing for him. Tony stumbled back as Spider-Man came crashing in. Okay, he was at a serious disadvantage, and one that he couldn't afford if the converging number of bots were anything to go by.

"People really like to attack your expos, don't they?" Pete called out.

"Yeah, well, I was hoping to get more than one day in, but some people don't take no for an answer." He reached up to his sunglasses, tapping a button. "FRIDAY? You know what to do."

"Any preference, Boss?"

"Thrill me."

One of the bots caught hold of him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him off his feet. He felt himself flying backwards and all at once there was a loud clang before it released him.

The glove had come first, slamming into Doom's bot to get to him, and Tony looked to see the rest of the suit on the way. It was an older model, not as clean as the nanotechnology of his latest suits, but it would do. By the time the next bot came his way, Tony blew it pieces with a repulsor beam.

"Tony?" Pepper's worried voice sounded over the private audio feed that instantly clicked into place between their suits.

"I'm okay for now. Just focus on the nutcase that decided to crash the expo." The last thing he needed was for her to be distracted worrying over him. "FRIDAY, how many are we looking at?"

The data flashed across his screen. "They're all over the grounds, but you've got some help." Footage of Cap and Barnes fighting off several of the bots and Peggy Carter taking one down with a gun - he wasn't sure how she'd gotten into the expo and past his security. She was good - played across. Well, they had that covered at least.

Tony joined Pepper facing off against Doom, both turning to help Peter with the raging bots in between blows. Doom actually seemed to be enjoying himself, of all the crazy reactions. He'd heard of the man, beyond the brief interaction that the Avengers had had. He was brilliant, supposedly, even if levels deep into the crazy farm, and he loved to prove himself better than others. Better than Tony Stark at his own expo or better than Iron Man and any Avengers littered throughout the crowd. It must have been like a candy store to a madman that thought he could win.

"The Invincible Iron Man," Doom jeered.

"Is that the newest name?" Tony popped off as he darted out of the way of one of those tendrils of energy that leapt out at him. "I mean, it was Earth's Best Defender, but I guess when you help save the whole universe you have to learn to grow." He caught the tendril around his wrist, this suit absorbing the power and he grinned inside of it. "I like it. Catchy." Power erupted from the ARC reactor in the center and sent Doom flying back.

And Tony felt like he'd been socked in the gut. Okay. Bad life choice. Duly noted. He sagged, trying to catch his breath as his body strained against the suit.

"I did not come here to battle a withering hero," Doom growled, apparently already back on his feet. Not for long, though. Pepper's blast caught him hard and sent him crashing into the side of a building.

"Good. Hate to disappoint," Tony gasped out.

"Are you okay?"

He looked up, trying to gather himself to look to where Pepper was standing next to him, her face reflected on his readouts. "Yeah."

"Tony…"

"Let's wrap this up."

He saw her nod on his screen - he hadn't heard the last of this - and start forward towards the villain that was trying to regain his balance. The two of them went at it as they did everything they did well: together. They slammed into Doom with more power than he could handle and he was laid out flat on his back, unconscious, and Tony skidded to a landing to look back at the bots. His lips tugged at the corners when he saw the ones within view all wrapped up in webbing.

"What'dya think, Mr Stark?" Peter called out happily.

"Great job, kid."

The teenage superhero tilted his head. "Are you okay?"

He must have sounded as exhausted as he felt. His helmet snapped back and he breathed in fresh air. "Just gotta catch my breath and get out of the suit," he managed.

He was ready to do just that until FRIDAY's voice sounded in his ear. "Boss, there's trouble with Morgan and Mr Stark."

The helmet snapped back into place and Tony was already jettising towards them even as Pepper's voice followed him.

"Let me -"

"Morgan and Howard are in trouble." He couldn't just sit back and let everyone else fight the battle. It wasn't who he was. It certainly wasn't who he'd become. And it certainly wasn't when it came to his family, even if it was Pep's too. He had no right to keep her from it and he wouldn't, but there was no way in hell he was going to stand on the sidelines when their little girl was in danger.

                                                  ________________

TBC

Notes: Sorry for the delay in this one, but the posting date is landing nicely for the Pepperony Week over on Tumblr's sixth day. The prompt is fix it fic :D

I've been back and forth on who to use to crash the expo (because, let's face it, of course it was going to get crashed) and I thought 'who would be just extra enough that hasn't been used in MCU before that would pop in just to cause trouble?). I mean, I guess Loki could have hopped over, but Doom seemed fun, and just dramatic enough that he'd be insulted that they created a no dictator rule just for him.

Next Time: Tony rushes to save Morgan and Howard, Peter talks to Fury, and Tony is left to make a decision of his own.

[sonofsuperman-archive]

INTERVIEW MEME (Long Post Warning)            

★ pick one of your muses. ★ fill in the questions as if you are being interviewed for an article and you  were your muse. ★ tag some friends to do this meme! tagged by: @the-amazing-amazon tagging: @americanalien, @vcspertiilio, @perfectforayear, @dawnofspeed, @licn, @error1nmycode, @ironmaidenfan, @dxntlikebullies, @prodxgaliron, @telekinctics

1. What is your name? “Superboy, ma’am,” he quickly responded, hand reaching up to bow his cap in greeting but since he was in costume, the boy was forced to comb his hair to act ‘normal’, “pleasure to meet ya.”

2. What is your real name? “Ah... umm...” alien blue eyes darted to the side, glancing around in hopes to figure out what to say. Chewing on his bottom lip, the young hero shrugged before making his excuse, “well... that’s a secret. I ain’t allowed to say it. Sorry!!”

3. Do you know why you’re called that? “Well...” he started, eyebrows scrunching up in thought, how was he named Superboy again? “Dad decided to call me Superboy when I first dawned the costume and it kinda stuck enough that when he introduced me to uncle Br-Batman” Oh Krypton, uncle Bruce would kill him for that slip up, “and aunt Diana, that became my hero name.”

4. Are you single or taken? “... I’M A KID!!” why would they even ask that?? Jon had panicked and shouted a response, hands clutching his chest and staring widely at the interviewer, “I’m single of course!!”

5. What are your powers and abilities? “Uhh..” fingers slowly lifted up as the super son tried to say all of his powers, “I have super strength, super speed, super hearing, heat vision, freeze breathe, x-ray vision, telescopic vision, super well- I can smell really good and from a far distance, I don’t have flight mastered yet but I can hover... uh uh.” Clutching his head, his eyes squeezed shut trying to remember, what else did he have, “Oh I have that super breathe thing where I can shout really loud like Aunt D-Canary and break glass!! So I have 10 I think. Abilities well, I’m great at Kryptonian technology and science, especially aerospace stuff, I can calculate really really fast since my mind processes faster.. is that more of a power than an ability? I dunno.. oh! and I can operate heavy machines, like trucks, tractor, etc. I’m gonna learn how to fly an airplane though. Robin says he might teach me if we could ‘borrow’ uncle Batman’s batplane... don’t tell him though.”

6. What color are your eyes? “They’re blue, I got ‘em from my dad, I think. I mean mom has a human-like blue while I have the same blue as dad, supergirl, and powergirl.”

7. Have you ever died your hair? “Nahh..” he answered, running a hand through his hair and grabbing a few strands to look at it, “I like my hair color. When ya have eyes like mine, ya see each hair’s different color and they look amazing. Dyed hair though, ya’d see the chemical and all.”

8. Do you have any family members? “Yepp!!!” he grinned wide, leaning forward to the interviewer, excited to talk about his family, “I got my dad Kal-El who’s Superman, I got mom who hasta remain a secret, I got my two aunts Kara Zor-El and Kara Zor-L, there’s a difference with one not having the E in El, they’re Supergirl and Powergirl, I got my sister Cir-El, she doesn’t have a hero name yet, and I’ve got my brothers, Kon-El and Lor-Zod, they’re Superlad and Nightwing. Pretty cool, right?!? Not to mention my aunts and uncles in the Justice League and the Batfamily!!”

9. Do you have any pets? “Yepp!! I have two but I can’t name the other one. The first one, ya might know. His name’s Krypto the Superdog.” Placing a cupped hand against the side of his mouth to hide it from the audience, he mock-whispered, “he’s definitely better than Ace the Bathound.”

10. Tell me about something you don’t like. “I DON’T like bullies,” his lips formed a frown to reassure his statement, remembering the bullies in his school and the bigger bullies around the world. “Just cause someone’s smaller, weaker, disabled, a minority, doesn’t mean ya’re allowed to bully him or her or xe!! We should all love everyone and take care of each other!”

11. Do you have any hobbies or activities you do in your spare time? “Yeah! When I’m not trainin’, doin’ missions, learnin’, or doin’ homework, I’m usually watching tv shows, playing video games, or just using the internet. I also take care of a lot of animals in our place and cook or bake. Sometimes I create flying saucers and other things for fun too.”

12. Have you ever hurt anyone before? “I have,” he quietly confessed, looking to the side to avoid the interviewer’s eyes, his hands rubbing up and down his arms for his own comfort, “when I was learnin’ how to use my heat vision, Dad forced me to use it and I accidentally hit him causing him to bleed.” His dad was suppose to be invulnerable against most things but his heat vision was more powerful than his dad’s and so he was able to harm him. “Also I punched Robin a few times before we teamed up cause he was being mean and kidnapped me.”

13. Have you ever… Killed anyone? “Nope. and I don’t wanna. I may be new in this hero business but.. well.. I think every human being is precious and I’d never want to kill one.” Not to mention that the first time he’d seen and smelt blood, he had panicked and ran away, what more trying to kill someone who could be loved by someone and missed by people.

14. What kind of animal are you? “PUPPY!! Definitely!” there was confidence in his voice as he once again smiled, glad that they were out of the topic of harming people. “My sis tells me that I’m like a puppy, so do my aunts. It fits cause dad’s described as a dog.”

15. Name your worst habits. “When mom and dad leave me alone at home, I kinda sorta... eat all the icecream at home. I mean, they’re just there.. expiring.. it’s my duty as an ice-cream lovin’ boy to make sure they don’t go to waste, y’know?”

16. Do you look up to anyone? “Of course!! Dad definitely. He’s the ideal superhero, kind, strong, smart, values equality and justice. I wanna be like him someday and when I become Superman, I’ll make sure to be like him.” Not to mention his siblings, the whole justice league, and every hero he fawns over but that should be kept quiet for now.

17. Gay, straight, or bisexual? “Wait.. wha...” he was speechless, why would they ask this, he was here as a hero and not just any hero, a kid hero. In fact, he didn’t even know that there was such a thing called labels until he was put into school. His whole life, his mom and dad taught him that love is love, no matter which gender the person you loved is. Why would it be needed. “I dunno, nor do I wanna label myself once I grow old. Love’s love and I’ll be open to whatever my heart wants.”

18. Do you go to school? “Yeah, I do. I’m in grade 5 actually. I can’t say which School though but..” he chuckled at his own thoughts, “it’s on Earth, don’t worry. I’d graduate in Earth standards.”

19. Do you ever want to marry and have kids someday? “Hm....” elbows placed on top of his legs, hands cupping to hold his head up high, he’d never thought of such a question before, nor was he asked. Jon’s only started having crushes and was more focused on figuring out how to keep his cool and charm the person. “I guess?!? I mean I’ve always wanted a big family so if I can have kids and someone with me like mom is with dad, that would be awesome.”

20. Do you have any fans? A small embarrassed chuckle left the super’s lips, cheeks turning red, and a hand messing his hair, “yeah,” he spoke in a soft and quiet tone, glancing away from the interviewer and looking at a wall, “I actually just found out recently that I do. I was looking through the internet and found them talkin’ bout me. Conspiracy theories, experiences, etc. They’re pretty nice!! and really sweet.”

21. What are you most afraid of? “Dying.” It was a quick reply, one that weighed heavily in his heart. After that scare with Ruppletat, one where their whole house was being burned down by white flames and him slowly being erased, he had thought that he was going to die and had been to scared to cry. The stress of being in the 5th dimension kept him calm for the most part and angry at the imp but once they got home, Jon had cried his heart out in fear. Unable to stop himself from gulping, he nodded to confirm his answer before quietly whispering, “... being forgotten.”

22. What do you usually wear? “Well I usually pick comfy jeans, white socks, and rubber shoes but... for shirts I go long-sleeves, often white, and some jackets.”

23. Do you love someone? “Of course!! who wouldn’t?” he couldn’t live without loving someone, from his parents, to his siblings, to his many aunts and uncles, even the bat family and classmates. “

24. What class are you? “Ya mean like in richness? Um.. I’d like to think we’re middle class, not rich but not struggling,” they had a farm, had all the eggs, meat, milk, etc. they could have and so they could live by even with dad working as a hero and mom just gaining her Daily Planet work. The truth was, they could easily be rich, dad could make diamonds out of coal easily and Jon plans on learning the same trick soon, but they didn’t do that and it counted.

25. How many friends do you have? “I got a few close ones around my age,” since most of his classmates were just acquaintance or bullies who didn’t like him standing up for those ‘weak’, “and several that I’m friendly with, especially teen heroes.”

26. What are your thoughts on pie? “Dad makes a really good one! I think he got that recipe from Gramma. I like apple pie the most!”

27. Favorite drink? “ROOTBEER!” Jon immediately answered only to cough, welp, there goes his coolness, all due to his excitement of rootbeer. Playing it off, his lips pressed together and formed a smile, nodding at himself, “rootbeer’s the best drink ever! I drink it all day really.”

29. What is your favorite place? “Definitely the Fortress of Solitude!” the crystal-like palace was amazing, even so with his super vision and his ability to pick up colors that normal humans couldn’t see. “I mean, Uncle Batman’s moon cave is great and all but nothing beats the Fortress.”

30. Are you interested in someone? “Interested? Like I wanna learn more about them? or is it the romantic sense? If it’s just interest, well, I find every being interesting, they all have a different life story and its great to hear them. If it’s romance, wait a few more years, or once I’m 20.”

31. What’s your bra size?

32. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean? “Lake. It’s safer than the ocean and I haven’t learned howta properly swim yet. Uncle A-Aqua’s gonna teach me once he has a free schedule though!” He was far too excited at talking about Aquaman teaching him how to swim, who could say that the King of the Sea helped them learn how to swim?

33. What’s your ‘type’? “Type? Ya mean what I’d like on a person?” yet another question he never thought about before, his mind started drifting to his crush and quickly talked about what made him like her, “she... or he, I dunno,.. has to be someone I can trust and are friends with, they hafta know how to make me happy, they hafta be happy spendin’ time with me, they hafta be really really pretty, oh and they hafta know how to bake or cook!”

34. Any fetishes?

35. Top or bottom? Dominant or submissive?

36. Camping, or indoors? “Indoors, I like havin’ a good bathroom, internet, and a comfy bed but if I need to camp, I would enjoy the moment too.”

37. Are you waiting for this interview to be over? His grin was a tiny bit forced to hide his embarrassment once more, he could lie but this interview made him nervous and weirded him out... a lot. Why would they ask him about romance? Unless he had preteen fans.. blue eyes widened at that thought before trying to answer, “I.. well.. ya know hero work is never done and I kinda need to do my math homework if I wanna patrol Metropolis later so... yeah kinda. Sorry!”